Pawel Kalinowski of Mirage

By Gestalt Published 31 May, 2002

Interview - we talk to Mirage about their new World War II role-playing game

There's no shortage of games set during World War II at the moment, from strategy (including Sudden Strike 2 and Blitzkrieg) and simulation (IL-2 Sturmovik and Panzer Front Bis) to all-out action (Medal of Honour and Castle Wolfenstein). One genre that has largely escaped this madness to date is the role-playing game, but all of that is about to change with Another War.

Bricks And Mortyr

'Pawel Kalinowski of Mirage' Screenshot may08b

Enjoying a pint of Hübner with the locals

Crafted by veteran Polish developers Mirage, Another War is "a game we always wanted to do", according to product manager Pawel Kalinowski. "Using World War II as a backdrop, we wanted to attract an audience bored by the usual fantasy appeal of role-playing games."

Mirage themselves are no strangers to the Second World War, having used an alternative history in which Nazi Germany won the conflict as the basis for their first big international release, Mortyr. Indeed, this background was a big factor in deciding the basis of Another War. "The primary reason for choosing World War II as the setting for our game was previously abandoned work done on Mortyr 2", Pawel explained. "We gathered a lot of material on World War II, and it would have been a waste not to use this."

"Another reason was the eternal fascination with World War II. It's a little bit like dinosaurs for the big kids we are - they are scary, they are dangerous and you can't find one in your neighbourhood. Few people realise that although we were taught about the war in school, most of the knowledge we have is from films - primarily comedies like Allo Allo and adventures like Raiders Of The Lost Ark. We haven't seen it ourselves, and the picture we know comes from silly TV series!"

Almost Real

'Pawel Kalinowski of Mirage' Screenshot may06b

Russia, at a rough guess. Certainly looks cold, wherever it is.

In keeping with their love of Allo Allo and Indiana Jones, Mirage are going for a relatively lighthearted approach to the subject matter. "Although we realize how painful a period it was, we decided to avoid making the mood of the game depressing. Instead, expect lots of fun."

"The player will visit France, Yugoslavia, Germany and Russia. It's not the real world, it is just a projection of our wicked imagination on that unfortunate period of history. To some extent we tried to show the reality of war, so you'll need to deal with communist guerillas in Yugoslavia and escape from a concentration camp. I believe that you will easily recognize the territory you are playing on at the time, and both architecture and people's clothes are as close to reality as they could be."

"We wanted to create something different from classical titles like Diablo or Baldur's Gate. This started from placing the plot in the real world, with real people and adventures and historical background. The main difference [though] is the long-range battles, as players will use a semi-automatic MP43 instead of magic. You can use everything you want from your very own fists, a pistol, semi-automatic and automatic rifles through to flame-throwers and grenades. Certainly all of them are as realistic in terms of look and use as they can be in a video game."

Experience

'Pawel Kalinowski of Mirage' Screenshot may05b

Grand Theft Auto, 1940's style

Despite the more realistic setting, many familiar role-playing features can still be found in Another War, including character development and skills. "Giving the most powerful weapon to a guy who doesn't know how to use it is just a waste of a weapon and, possibly, his life", Pawel told us.

"As our beta testing experience shows, it's most effective to specialize your team members in a particular weapon class. When using the tactical abilities, teamwork abilities, and correct use of the combat system, it's pure pleasure to sweep the Nazis out of the way."

Developing these abilities works in much the same way as it would in a more traditional fantasy role-playing game. "You collect experience and distribute it to the characters. The player needs to concentrate on the specific abilities of a character instead of making the hero the ultimate killing machine. The correct use of special abilities (unique for every hero class, similar to magic in other games) is the key, and the choices [you make] at the start effect dialogue and plot and determine the tactics you will use."

Coming Soon

'Pawel Kalinowski of Mirage' Screenshot may02b

Taking on the Wehrmacht

Mirage are aiming to deliver "a relatively complex but easy to play role-playing game with both fast action and a deep storyline". We should know soon whether or not they have succeeded, as Another War is already available in their native Poland and is due to arrive in the west at the end of the summer.

"All we need to do is record the voices for the English version and we got the game ready", Pawel was happy to report. "We will certainly pay close attention to the response from the Polish market in case of any feedback. And in the meantime we are working on the Czech and Russian versions of the game."

With any luck Another War could help give Mirage and their Czech-based publisher Cenega a foothold here in the west. As with many other east European countries, the Polish gaming industry has come a long way in recent years. "There were no old game companies in Poland", Pawel told us. Indeed, Mirage (founded in 1989) is one of the longest serving developers in the country. "What we have is the Codemasters generation - guys who were playing with their home computers and started to make something bigger out of this. A few others are foreign companies looking for a cheap work force, something which turned out to be an illusion as costs here are the highest of the Eastern Bloc countries, and possibly higher than in some EU territories."

"But for me personally, working in Poland has one advantage - most people understand what I am saying!"

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Comments (76) Latest comment 10 years ago

Comments threads automatically close after 30 days, but please feel free to continue chatting on the forum!

  • Whizzo #1 10 years ago

    it's pure pleasure to sweep the Nazis out of the way.
    Hardly surprising a Pole would say something like that!

    I hope for their sake this is a lot better than Mortyr...

  • Psi #2 10 years ago

    yawn.... found the best way to promote world peace.. push war games down their necks till they think.... "no don't start another fucking war! we'll get a shitload of boring games again!!!"

    What about a sim game... like the sims but in a concentration camp? build guard towers fenses gas powered showers...

    have i gone too far on the war theme?

  • Blerk #3 10 years ago

    I wish someone would hurry up and start World War III so that we can get some slightly different war games. :-)

  • Pirotic #4 10 years ago

    Theme Concentration Camp.. sounds fun :)

  • skalmanxl #5 10 years ago

    I wish someone would hurry up and start World War III so that we can get some slightly different war games. :-)

    There is WW3: Black Gold you know.

    And wasn't that Concentration Camp Tycoon? (not theme).
    Edited by 1 at 31/05/02 @ 11:30

  • Chaser #6 10 years ago

    thats sick guys :)

  • Whizzo #7 10 years ago

    Perhaps a little more tasteful would be "Home Guard Tycoon", where you have to manage a bank during the day and organise the defence of a fictional coastal town at other times...

    "What is your name?"
    "Don't tell him Pike!"

  • rash #8 10 years ago

    You basterds, haven't you seen enough death already? What's wrong with you guys? How could you even mention something like that?
    Edited by 1 at 31/05/02 @ 11:38

  • Jesus: Action Figure #9 10 years ago

    Off topic, is there any way to watch the France World Cup match on the net. We can't get a TV signal at work!

    Thanks in advance ;o)

  • Nemesis #10 10 years ago

    Jesus.....

    World Cup

    This is the best I know of; this will give you the complete games index and you get the live text updates from Sky. Have a looksie!

  • Jesus: Action Figure #11 10 years ago

    Cheers Nem - will check it out...

    :o)

  • rash #12 10 years ago

    hey guys, I am stuck here in usa without any world cup action. it is 6 am in the morning and i do not know how i am going to watch it. is there really anyway to watch the world cup on the net? plzzzz guys help me out here.

  • otto #13 10 years ago

    BBC is doing live updates including photos here for example, but I've not found anywhere that'll do live footage, unfortunately.

  • rash #14 10 years ago

    thanks.
    although not enough, but thanks.

  • Nemesis #15 10 years ago

    Just get yerself tuned into Radio 5 Live. Check the BBC World Service as well as they tend to do coverage too.

  • Whizzo #16 10 years ago

    but I've not found anywhere that'll do live footage, unfortunately.
    I don't think that FIFA and the company that bought the rights, then went pop, would allow live internet TV coverage so there is no where to watch it off the net.

  • Nemesis #17 10 years ago

    You won't get live net feeds, hence the SKY text updates. 5 Live broadcast to the net via their homepage, but will not put out any football live unfortunately.

  • otto #18 10 years ago

    Right, that was going to be my next question. So no live radio commentary then?

  • Nemesis #19 10 years ago

    Over the Internet, I don't think so, definately not by the BBC anyhow......but if you get lucky post the link Otto!

  • Psi #20 10 years ago

    They are getting a wide screen projector in one of the meeting rooms for us and were all allowed to watch em. as long as we aint got customers to deal with. Don't bother me as I'm gonna be in Kavos getting mortal. and guess what LONG WEEKEND!

    also a dads army ww2 game would be nice... you play the level over and over and over again for 50 years till you realise all your characters are dead bar one, who is playing a walk on bum boy on bbc tv.

  • Whizzo #21 10 years ago

    So no live radio commentary then?
    No Radio 5 can't do that either as it says on their site :-
    "Due to rights restrictions we are not be able to broadcast World Cup commentaries online"
    I didn't realise the rights issue stopped that as well, that seems very harsh.

    you play the level over and over and over again for 50 years till you realise all your characters are dead bar one
    Two! Clive Dunn is still around.
    Edited by 1 at 31/05/02 @ 12:10

  • otto #22 10 years ago

    Fortunately we have an Irish pub round the corner that has wide screen & will show them live, so for the big games I should be able to sneak out.

  • Psi #23 10 years ago

    an irish bar showing the english matches... just hope Keane aint in there otto ;)
    heheh

    Well done Whizzo... you must be a big fan...
    Edited by 1 at 31/05/02 @ 12:12

  • Whizzo #24 10 years ago

    you must be a big fan...
    Dunno about being a big fan but I think Dad's Army is probably the most consistently funny comedy in history.

  • otto #25 10 years ago

    It's the only option here in Brussels. For all the European matches there's always a big contingent from whichever country's playing so it makes for a good atmosphere. The Crown Prince of Holland was in there when England tonked them in Euro 96 - heh :)

    The bar staff are pretty vocal in support of whoever's playing against England though of course...

  • Nemesis #26 10 years ago

    Yeah, well they'll be pretty quiet this year then as we'll be rocking I guarantee.

  • otto #27 10 years ago

    Barthez has already had to make a save (1st minute)

  • Nemesis #28 10 years ago

    How France can play with Moby in goal is beyond me..........

  • Whizzo #29 10 years ago

    How France can play with Moby in goal is beyond me..........
    Sometimes I think they would be better playing Moby in goal rather than Barthez...

    Senegal looking alright at the moment..

  • otto #30 10 years ago

    I'm impressed with that Sky updater thingummy.

  • Whizzo #31 10 years ago

    I'm impressed with that Sky updater thingummy.
    I'm just glad I've got my aging pocket TV with me.

  • Gestalt #32 10 years ago

    "How France can play with Moby in goal is beyond me"

    I didn't know Moby played football.

    :p

  • skalmanxl #33 10 years ago

    He makes ace music though!

  • Whizzo #34 10 years ago

    Oooh how close! French shot hits the post.

  • Whizzo #35 10 years ago

    Senegal GOAL!!! France badly screwup in defence and they're behind!

  • otto #36 10 years ago

    SENEGAL SCORE!!!

  • miffo #37 10 years ago

    the way they danced around the scorers jersey reminds a bit of oddworld

  • Psi #38 10 years ago

    if i hit refresh enough on my browser it's like im there!

  • otto #39 10 years ago

    Half time, Senegal lead, Petit booked just before the whistle.

    This service has been brought to you free of charge by otto inc

    edit - I'm not going to keep doing this I promise
    Edited by 1 at 31/05/02 @ 13:15

  • Gestalt #40 10 years ago

    Good, because my finger is hovering over the delete button already. :)

  • Psi #41 10 years ago

    Gestalt... start a euro2000 thred for otto inc.

    that way he can post his little heart out and not go off topic.. lol

    otto...... what do you actually do? I'm sure no one can actually work and post here as much as you do.

  • skalmanxl #42 10 years ago

    Work...you know were talking about the Eu-commission now right?

  • otto #43 10 years ago

    can't post... working...

  • Psi #44 10 years ago

    I thought he was joking.... god help us..

    what am i saying! don't regulate me!! help!!!

  • otto #45 10 years ago

    Watch it - I've got a draft directive in front of me to ban Geordies from accessing the internet unless they speak at least four languages - don't make me rubber stamp it

  • Blerk #46 10 years ago

    don't regulate me!! help!!!

    "Come and see the bureaucracy inherent in the system!"
    "Help! Help! I'm being regulated!"
    ;-)

  • Whizzo #47 10 years ago

    Final Result : France 0 Senegal 1 I must restrain myself from laughing, man sitting on arse causes World Cup upset..
    Edited by 1 at 31/05/02 @ 14:17

  • Jesus: Action Figure #48 10 years ago

    Great start to the world cup, eh? ;o)

  • Whizzo #49 10 years ago

    Great start to the world cup, eh?
    It was an enjoyable game to watch too, France should have won it but didn't. That's football for you!

  • Nemesis #50 10 years ago

    Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaah. As an Englishman I'm really uphappy that the French lost.

    Not.

  • Blerk #51 10 years ago

    I'm very happy that France lost, having drawn Argentina in the office sweeps...

    Mixed loyalties next Friday - I'll be the one at the back shouting "Go Argies!" :-)

  • Whizzo #52 10 years ago

    Mixed loyalties next Friday - I'll be the one at the back shouting "Go Argies!" :-)
    Stone him! Stone him!

  • Nemesis #53 10 years ago

    Unclean

    /clang/

    Argie supporter. How *could* you.

  • ssuellid #54 10 years ago

    Are there any French posters on Eurogamer? Just out of curiousity - not to take the piss out of - thats purely for Man U customers, sorry supporters.

  • otto #55 10 years ago

    Frogger & Haust are intermittent posters and French I believe (big up to the former for his sense of humour)

  • bystander #56 10 years ago

    /me starts throwing stones at Blerk ;)
    Edited by 1 at 31/05/02 @ 15:10

  • Blerk #57 10 years ago

    I can take a few stones if I win money! Football's rubbish, but if it earns me cash.... ;-)

  • Psi #58 10 years ago

    geordies divvint even speak one language right nivva mind fawa!

    ahh... bank holiday so very soon for pictures of my antics visit www.whitleybayu ncovered.co.uk see if you can spot me... oh dear im leaving that a little too open for abuse me thinks..

  • bystander #59 10 years ago

    OK this will take care of you ;)

    *drops big bundle of cash on Blerk*

  • Blerk #60 10 years ago

    Ouch! :-)

  • bystander #61 10 years ago

    OK Blerk I'm warning you: ;)

    Catapultam habeo. Nisi pecuniam omnem mihi dabis ad capul tuum saxum immane mittam.

  • otto #62 10 years ago

    OOH BYSTANDER!! A fellow classicist? ;)

    edit - "in capite tuo" shurely? ;)
    Edited by 1 at 31/05/02 @ 16:08

  • bystander #63 10 years ago

    All I can say otto is:

    si hoc legere scis numium eruditionis habes ;) :p
    Edited by 1 at 31/05/02 @ 16:21

  • otto #64 10 years ago

    That's nimium, and yes I have waaaaaaay too much :)

  • bystander #65 10 years ago

    Otto is there any language which you don't seem to know? :-)

    How about this?

    Macacos me mordam

    Or this?

    Ich bin ein Beliner ;)

    No, what I've said in that last line isn't a mistake.

  • otto #66 10 years ago

    bystander, I did a degree in Latin & Ancient Greek, I was brought up bilingual in English & German, and I live in a Dutch/French speaking country, so that kind of accounts for it. I can pretty much work out stuff that's written in most Latin/German based languages. I think I can work out the first one there - & if I'm right, BITE ME ;) - and not sure why you left out the crucial 'r' in the second one, so that went over my head.

  • bystander #67 10 years ago

    Macacos me mordam.

    It means Monkeys bite me (hopefully they don't do that in SMB!).

    Beliner

    I'm sure it meant jelly doughnut :-/ :-\. Ah, nevermind.

    Just Necca me latre. *coughs*

  • otto #68 10 years ago

    Oh right. No, a Berliner is a jam doughnut, which is why that Kennedy quote is so funny. If he'd wanted to say "I am a citizen of Berlin" he should have just said "Ich bin Berliner" without the indefinite article.

    I'll get me coat.

  • bystander #69 10 years ago

    Oh right. No, a Berliner is a jam doughnut, which is why that Kennedy quote is so funny. If he'd wanted to say "I am a citizen of Berlin" he should have just said "Ich bin Berliner" without the indefinite article.

    I'll get me coat.

    Oh, OK.

    In case you might have guessed already I haven't studied German. But's here another German phrase (posted for no real reason other than me being slightly bored):

    Die Schnecken sind meine Freunden!

  • Pirotic #70 10 years ago

    das geht dich einen feuchten scheissdreck an :p

  • bystander #71 10 years ago

    Te audire no possum. Musa sapientum fixa est in aure. *coughs*
    Edited by 1 at 31/05/02 @ 17:55

  • otto #72 10 years ago

    Thank you Mr T!

    You helluva cool.

  • Moonbender #73 10 years ago

    Somehow this site attracts some quite eccentric persons.

  • FWB #74 10 years ago

    Does anyone know if its possible to use a 512mb stick of ram in a 256mb ram slot? Can someone please answer this question for me? If be very thankfull for it.

    Nope, but make sure you're right about it being a 256mb slot.

  • Moonbender #75 10 years ago

    There is no such thing as a 256MB RAM slot per se. Different mainboards have different limitations as to how much RAM in total and per slot they can take, refer to your mainboards manual (often also available from the manufacturers webpage) to find out what's true for yours.
    If the board is somewhat recent, it's very likely that every slot can take 512 MB modules, although RAM in general and cheap RAM in particular is problem-ridden. That's especially true if you mix two or modules of the same or worse, different sizes and manufacturers. Make sure you can return it if it doesn't work.

  • Whizzo #76 10 years ago

    Does anyone know if its possible to use a 512mb stick of ram in a 256mb ram slot?
    A good thing to do when you're not sure of your motherboard's capabilities is to go to the Crucial website and find your motherboard in the memory selector they have. This has pretty much every motherboard created on it and even if you don't know what it is if you've got a pre-built PC from the bigger manufacturers you'll be able to find it on there too. It even has specific information on different country's PC manufacturers so just select the correct country first and you should be laughing.
    Edited by 1 at 01/06/02 @ 11:05