It has been a while since I last updated the BIA:RTH30 FAQ, and it is about time I started on an FAQ for Earned in Blood. Now that I have some free time, that is exactly what I will do.
SYSTEM REQUIREMENTS System Requirements: Supported OS: Windows%reg; 2000/XP (only) Processor: 1.0 GHz Pentiumâ® III or AMD Athlonâ"ž¢ (2.5 GHz Pentium IV or AMD Athlon recommended) RAM: 512 MB (1 GB or more recommended) Video Card: 32 MB DirectXâ® 8.0 compliant (64 MB recommended) (see supported list*) Sound Card: DirectX 8.0 compliant (EAX recommended; PC audio solution containing Dolbyâ® Digital Live required for Dolby Digital audio) DirectX Version: DirectX 9.0c (included on disc) DVD-ROM: 4x DVD-ROM Hard Drive Space: 3.5 GB Peripherals: Windows-compatible mouse and keyboard Multiplayer: 56 Kbps connection (broadband with 64 Kbps upstream recommended)
*Supported Video Cards at Time of Release ATIâ® Radeonâ® 8500/9000/X series NVIDIAâ® GeForceâ"ž¢ 4/FX/6 series (GeForce 4 MX not supported)
Laptop versions of these chipsets may work but are not supported.
Additional chipsets may work but are not supported. For an up-to-date list of tested chipsets, video cards, and operating systems, please visit the FAQ for this game on our support website at: http://www.ubi.com/us/support.
NOTICE: This game contains technology intended to prevent copying that may conflict with some DVD-RW and virtual drives
The second chapter of this WWII military shooter about the men in the field and the consequences of warfare, Earned In Blood features a new single-player story, new multiplayer missions, an all-new cooperative-style game mode, and new weapons and vehicles.
2)Q: What platforms will it be released for?
A: As of now, it is officially announced for the XBOX, PC, and the PS2, but there is talk of a cell phone version.
3)Q: When will it be released?
A: It is scheduled for an October release date.
4)Q: What is the story?
A:
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While in Road to Hill 30 you played as Baker, this time around you play as Hartsock, one of your companions from the original game. The game will take place before the events of the last game, as well as after and even during. Although we didn't get to see any of the story crossovers, Gearbox assured us that those of you who played the first game will definitely recognize plot points from Road to Hill 30, and see them from another point of view.
5)Q: Does this mean that there will be the exact same levels as the last one?
A:Earned in Blood will be closely tied in to the events in the first game. In fact, approximately 25 percent of the game lets you take part in some moments from the first game, but this time from a different perspective. You'll play as Sergeant Joe "Red" Hartsock, one of the team members of Sergeant Matt Baker, the hero of the first game. However, this doesn't mean that you'll rehash the exact same moments from the first game, as Harstock was usually dispatched to perform different tasks during missions. The rest of the game, however, picks up immediately after the events of Hill 30 and will carry the story forward.
6)Q: Will there be any new weapons?
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While the game mechanics are pretty much the same (although with a few new guns thrown into the mix, including the German FG42, a scoped rifle with a large banana clip carried by paratroopers, and the American M3 "grease gun")
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There are a number of new weapons in the game as well, including a mortar that you can order your squad to man while you direct its fire, and new types of machine guns and submachine guns.
7)Q: Have the graphics been improved?
A:
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There have been a few graphical upgrades, and we were told that the environmental textures are 4 times better than the original, and the character models look a whopping 16 times more realistic.
A game that strives to be as authentic as possible is only as good as the details it presents, and Earned in Blood offers plenty of little touches to keep the player immersed in the story. Birds will fly from their roosts if you fire into their trees, and you'll be able to see the sunlight through each individual leaf.
Q)8: Is there anything new in the way of physics?
A:
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The physics system has been greatly improved, too, with walls shattering and crumbling differently everytime they're hit by a tank shell.
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Some of the objects in the environment can even be destroyed this time around.
9)Q: Will the AI actually actively flank?
A:
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Basically, Gearbox held back in the first game in terms of enemy artificial intelligence, because it was afraid that having players learn a whole new way of playing first-person shooters would be tough enough without having to worry about a cutthroat opponent. As a result, the Germans in Road to Hill 30 were a fairly docile lot and didn't really exhibit maneuver tactics, at least not on the scale of what you did to them. That translated into a puzzlelike experience at times, as you essentially had to suppress an enemy position and figure out how to flank it over and over again. In Earned in Blood, the training wheels come off, and you'll definitely earn your victories in this game. The German AI is a lot more intelligent than before, and it will constantly try to shift positions to prevent from being flanked. It will also spot opportunities, like an unguarded flank on your side, and move to exploit them. "It puts a new layer of pressure and intensity on the player," Pitchford said.
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This newfound mobility of the enemy troops is the second big surprise in store for veteran players. While the overall layout of the levels and positioning of enemies in the first game made for some tense moments, you're going to find yourself even more on edge this time around because the enemies aren't going to be staying put. In fact, the enemies have learned the lessons you taught them in the first game a little too well. Instead of crouching behind cover and hoping you'll step out into the open, enemies will actively try to get around behind you.
10)Q: What types of settings will the fighting occur in?
A:
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The first mission we saw was Hedgerow Hell. Taking place relatively late in the game, nine days after D-Day to be exact, this particular level is a bit more challenging than some of the earlier levels. It also showcases some of the "crazy new gameplay" that's being incorporated in the game. This new mission takes place mostly out amid the hedgerows outside of Baupte, France. The enemy has gathered in these hedgerows and are getting ready to move in and take the town. Your job is to hunt down the enemy in these hedgerows before they can mount their own attack.
This level starts of relatively open; you and your squad will have to advance along a broad front across a flat field. From here you'll enter the maze of hedgerows that contain your enemy. After exploring a bit, you'll notice that the new maps in Earned in Blood are considerably larger than those in Road to Hill 30. A greater number of missions are now set in more urban locations as well, so you can expect to do a lot of city fighting -- racing down streets, clearing houses and ducking in and out of alleys.
11)Q: Does more urban fighting translate into a more linear game?
A:
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After exploring a bit, you'll notice that the new maps in Earned in Blood are considerably larger than those in Road to Hill 30.
12)Q: Is there any new MP content?
A:
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After the single-player demo, we got a chance to play the multiplayer component, called "skirmish mode." Modes include objective, defense, time challenge and tour of duty. As you would expect, the goal in objective mode is to complete a specific task, such as blowing up anti-aircraft guns or capturing an enemy base. Defense pits you against a horde of enemy soldiers who will assault you wave after wave. Time challenge is similar to objective, except you have a specific time limit you have to beat to achieve your goals. Finally, tour of duty is kind of a multiplayer campaign where you can progress through different missions, but you and your buddies only have one life.
I played one of the objective missions with Gearbox's Mike Neumann. Our goal was to clear the area of invading German forces and ultimately make our way to an artillery emplacement and take out the guns. I played a lot of Road to Hill 30, and I can truly say that the A.I. in Earned in Blood is much better. You can't just play as a force of one anymore and count on enemies to poke up their heads from behind bunkers or hedgerows so you can pop them. Mike and I had to piggyback our way through the level, covering one another with our squads as the other moved to a better firing position. While we got through the level pretty well using this tactic and did destroy all three German artillery, after wasting our squad mates on a few well-entrenched bunkers, it eventually came down to just me and him, and in the end we were overrun.
All of the co-op modes can be played from either the American or German perspective. You'll also be happy to hear that you can play the multiplayer portion of the game co-operatively with a friend. Expect a variety of various online stats to be tracked as well, at least on Xbox Live. Gearbox also said they were looking at having some sort of co-op stat tracking so you can see who are the real double-team forces to be reckoned with.
13)Q:Is there a prone or sprint feature in EIB?
A: As of the demo I played, there was neither a sprint nor prone feature. I would imagine that it is unlikely that these features would be added in time for the release.
14)Q: Where can I find more information on this game?
