EXCERPT OF THE LIVE CHAT WITH APPEAL on IRC.INFOGRAMES.DE
13. Nov. 1999

Franck -- Ok, I'm art director here at Appeal. And i'm currently at second floor while yann is at first floor.

yann -- OK, I am Yann ROBERT from APPEAL. I am one of the cofounder of APPEAL and it's a pleasure to talk you guys

Leonid -- can you tell us anything about outcast 2?

Franck -- You bet!

Franck -- Yann, up to you...

Massa -- so what about Outcast II anything to tell us yet, guys?

yann -- We are actually in the preproduction stage of Outcast 2. Let say that Cutter Slade will still be there...

Crusty -- that's great !

Leonid -- can you tell us more?

Crusty -- so, no rebirth of marion ?

Franck -- Yeah, we've been working for four month now one O2.

Franck -- We can say a number of characters from the first episode will be there...

yann -- One technical improvement is that it will support 3D polygons acceleration

Crusty -- cool

Prophet -- Those are very good news indeed!

Dominion -- very good

LonelyRan -- fantastic

Crusty -- consequently it plays on adelpha again ?

yann -- It should be adelpha but when and how he will come back ???

Leonid -- so there will be no voxel engine?

Massa -- are you going to support all the new 3D-features of cards like the Napalm from 3DFX or the G-Force? So let's say will there be use of T&L or T-Buffer?

Franck -- What if O2 wasn't a PC game only... uhg?

yann -- Our aim is to support the latest generation card as well as PSX2

Sascha -- franck, you mean it´s for console ?

Franck -- Yep!

Leonid -- will you release it for pc, too?

Franck -- As Yann said, it will be both for PSX2 (main target) and for 3d accelerated PCs.

Dominion -- but voxel are used?!

Leonid -- i think without voxel it would be not as nice as in outcast 1

Franck -- No voxels at all, but more than regular polygons...

Massa -- more than regular polys? can you explain this?

yann -- Not really, our main aim is to create complex and realistic backgrounds, and there is different means to achieve it other than using voxels

Crusty -- ok, here's my question: do you know the meaning of the stone faces in okaar (the forest world) ?

Franck -- They've been made by the ancient, the one who made the portals.

Leonid -- can you answer our question about the upgrades of SLNTB now?

yann -- to be honest, I haven't found myself. There's supposed to be on water

Sascha -- Franck: Is there any release date for oc2 ?

Franck -- We plan a 18 month development schedule after the end of pre-production (december)

Leonid -- is it possible to do anything with the stone faces

Franck -- Leonid, no.

_XFILE -- should we expect a patch that will make outcast(I) use our 3dcards?

yann -- We decided to focus on Outcast 2 instead of creating a 3D patch cause it's a lot of work

fiz -- Franck: What´s about the end videos? How many end videos can I see an how many % must I have?

Franck -- Fiz, they are two secret movies at the end. The dancing and another one. You must have 100 100 score to see the second one.

Dominion -- are you content with the "notes" in the computer magazines?

yann -- we are really happy of the press release from Europe and US, specially from Germany

General -- How do you explane the Bug's in Outcast?

Franck -- One moment, I'll answer the bug question.

Franck -- The bug issue is very complicated, being in a young industry on a rather unstable platform, and being so innovative and large in scope, we couldn't help but having some bugs. Now, we learned a lot and established a process to avoid those bugs during the developement of O2.

Massa -- how about public beta in Outcast II?

Massa -- this would help avoiding bugs

Franck -- Since O2 main target is PSX2, I'm not sure this would be practical.

Pearl_ -- Outcast in no computer game. it is an experience ! But without voxels in OC2 it wouldn´t be the same.

yann -- I am not really agree with Pearl concerning OC2 and voxels. We believe now with the new generation cards, it will be possible to get the same experience

Crusty -- next question - -- do you know something about the sub-quest in which you have to find gamor-bones ?

Franck -- Sorry, as Art director, i'm not aware of all quest subtleties.

Massa -- so PSX2 is the main target-system... :(( | will O2 PC ship on DVD, 'cause PSX2 uses DVD

Franck -- PSX2 uses both CD and DVD. We don't know yet wich one we'll choose.

_XFILE -- how about the dolphin?

yann -- we are waiting (like everybody) for dolphin specification but yes why not !

Leonid -- in some outcast-previews there were an animal which looked like a mouse (i've forgotten the name :-)). but nobody could find it in the game.

Franck -- Leonid, this as not been implemented in the final game. It is called Kamenai.

Leonid -- why wasn't it implemented?

Franck -- Leonid, we were focussed on more important issues.

Massa -- Is the main goal of O2 again dropping the player in a working world?

Massa -- I think this made Outcast I success

Franck -- Massa, Absolutely. And i'm sure you'll be impressed by the world we plan to drop you in!

Massa -- :-) *can't wait experiencing it*

Leonid -- will there be towns with a big population (like Okriana in Outcast 1) again in Outcast 2?

Franck -- Leonid, there will be a lot of cities, but consoles specifications (small memory) won't allow us to have hundreds of characters simultaneously. Rather, each one will be a lot more interesting and deep, both graphically and their behaviors.

Sascha -- Franck: so you will use GAIA again ?

Franck -- Sascha, enhanced. Vance can tell, he's the guy.

Crusty -- will there be (in O2) again a so phenomenal soundtrack ?

yann -- Yes we expect to recompose an orchestral soundtrack but we intend to go further in the synchronisation of music and actions

Massa -- by the way did you get rich with Outcast1 ;)?

Franck -- You're kidding right?

Crusty -- so, what's with a multiplayer "option" ?

Franck -- Outcast as been built as a single player experience because it tells a story. So will be O2.

yann -- It's really difficult to live a story in multiplayer mode

fiz -- Franck: Wehen can we see the first screenshots of Outcast2?

Franck -- Fiz, i can't tell yet. Not before 6 month at least.

Massa -- If you focuss on PSX2, will the PC-version become just a conversation to another system?

Franck -- Massa, we try to be as abstract as we can regarding the platform. So it won't be a conversion but rather a port.

yann -- Our idea concerning cross-platform development, is to take advantage of all the features of each platform during development, PC constraints will also be taken in account. It's not a PC version which will be developped Not really.

Leonid -- please tell us anything about the worlds

Elektroni -- one idea would be to make a day/night change

Franck -- Leonid, think of it as if you were drop on adelpha at another time.

Franck -- I can't tell you more, sorry :)

Crusty -- with marion again ?

yann -- marion is dead isn't she ?

Leonid -- please tell us anything about the worlds

Franck -- What i can say is that it is coherent with O1.

fiz -- Franck: Whats about the many Bugs in Outcast? Will Appeal make a third Patch?

yann -- what bugs do you mean ?

Franck -- A third patch in currently tested at infogrames and should be released soon.

Franck -- But there will be plenty of pretty girls in O2..... shit i said too much!

*** Franck was kicked by maar (Swearing not allowed)

Franck -- Ok, i was just saying there might be more female characters in O2!

General -- yes..what do you think about all the things arround Lara Croft?

UserX -- I hate this Lara Croft hype!

Pearl_ -- Lara is for kids....

Pearl_ -- Cutter is for a lifetime !

Elektroni -- could you make a deeper history of cutters life?

Crusty -- please answer at least: we may not tell about the worlds

Franck -- Remember what was said at the essence well. You'll find out one of the new world in O2.

Massa -- yes what about Cutter's reason for returning to Adelpha?

Pearl_ -- does cutter return from earth to adelpha ? Has he ever left Adelpha ?

UserX -- I think Cutter couldnt return home,so Outcast2 will play in future or past of the Universe

Franck -- UserX is a wise guy...

fiz -- Franck: Have you a solution of all (and I mean all) quests in Outcast? And were can I see it?

yann -- good question ! ask to Infogrames I know they have done an edition for US and France (German is probably on the wway)

Massa -- so in the current state of developement, do you concentrate on the engine-features and not the story?

Franck -- Massa, we work both on technology feasability studies and we have 3 people working full time on the story and gameplay.

yann -- Actually we are focussing on both aspects (story and technical architecture), our complementarity allow us to work in parallel

Crusty -- franck: ok, then we need the 3 story-guys here ! :-))

Franck -- Both, but you need story to elaborate design.

Franck -- All the creatures found in O1 will be in O2. New ones might be added for transportation.

Crusty -- cool

yann -- There will be new animals and probably vehicles...

Crusty -- vehicles ? that sounds pretty cool

fiz -- Franck: In what resolution will be Oucast 2 about? 1024x768?

yann -- as the engine will support 3d acceleration, resolution does not matter.