There’s a new Space Hulk game on the way and it sounds impressive. This is a computer game based on the classic Games Workshop board game of Genestealers against Space Marine Terminators. What’s so special about that? The game, being made by Full Controll, will let friends play with one another on different devices, across platforms, and there are plans for level design in the future.
The CEO of Full Control, Thomas Hentschel Lund, was king enough to talk to Geek Native about the game and what we might expect.
Games Workshop are very protective of their IP. How did Full Control manage to land a title like Space Hulk?
It was a bit of luck on our side and misfortune for THQ.
By chance I met Ian Livingstone without recognizing him. I was small talking with him saying that I’d love to do Space Hulk. When he then introduced himself I was baffled to talk to one of the 3 original founders of Games Workshop.
It was then fortuitous that THQ was at the same time handing back the exclusive 40k license to Games Workshop. So the timing was just perfect for us.
How would you describe the Space Hulk game to gamers who’ve never played it?
It is a game of tactical SWAT like movement in narrow corridors with endless enemies swarming you. You are the underdog with a small team that is very immobile compared to the enemy Genestealers, but you have ranged weaponry to counter the hordes.
But if you forget to protect your flanks then you will get punished very quickly.
Does the Space Hulk computer game try and recreate the board game experience or does it try something new with the title?
We are trying to recreate the board game experience in a video game sense. This means that the game is a turn-based strategy game in the similar way that XCom is. This has never been done before, and that’s why we chose to go down that path. In the 90’ies EA, amongst others, did something new with it. And we wanted to take it back to its roots.
Does the game draw on any alien movies for inspiration?
I cannot comment on who inspired who on the board game. I didn’t design that. But the video game is not inspired by the Alien movies. We took it straight from the board game and general Warhammer 40k.
How many players can share a game at once?
In the base version you can be 2 players battling it out against each other. For the upcoming coop expansion, we want to at least enable 3 players to participate, each with their terminator squad. That will be very exciting!
Is it true that a single game can support a player on a PC, someone on an Apple and another on a mobile device?
We made our own network solution to allow players to play against opponents on other devices. So you can start a game on a PC and play someone on an iPad. Even more – you can switch devices and continue an existing game. So you are able to start on a PC, log in on your iPad and then go back to your PC to finish the game.
What about the Level Editor? Will gamers be able to create and share levels?
Yes. We very much believe in the power of community to build and express themselves through level editors. Players will be allowed to download the free editor to build their level, share it with others players as well as download what others have built. That way Space Hulk can get a life far beyond what we originally released.
If the game lives up to all your dreams what happens next? A sequel?
We want to extend and expand Space Hulk with new chapters, new rules and new Space Hulk campaigns.
Beyond Space Hulk we definitely hope that we will be able to do more 40k turn-based titles. We think that the time is right for a major revival of the turn-based genre.
Which game that’s going to be is still undecided and unannounced. But we definitely have some grand ideas already.
End of the day its down to the 40k players to support this turn-based game. If it sells well, we will have a great case for pushing for more 40k TBS.
What should traditional Space Hulk fans take away from this Q&A?
That we have stayed true to the board game. If you ever were a fan of the original Space Hulk board games – be it 1st, 2nd or 3rd edition – then this is it!
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