HomeLAN - How hard is it to blend RTS and RPG gameplay into one game?

Marc S. Olbertz - It depends – of course; you can’t simply give both parts the same meaning and emphasis. The main part of SpellForce is an RTS game, but it uses RPG-elements to create a long-time motivation for the player. Having an avatar – a Virtual Alter Ego in the game, that you can freely choose (warrior, white magician, black magician, rouge etc.) – gives you a much better possibility to identify yourself with the game and the story than just by commanding nameless and faceless armies. Besides, the avatar gives the game also a deeper, tactical component. You’re not only watching the battles anymore and pray for a good result, but you now can actively influence it. If you for example have trained your avatar enough to become strong and powerful with elemental magic, you can support your armies during battles by casting rains of fire on enemy units. While in common RTS games you start each new map with nothing but some workers SpellForce offers you to advance with your main character to build up stronger armies more efficiently. You can find plans to create new types of buildings, runes to summon more efficient workers or powerful heroes, new types of spells or better equipment.