Homeworld: Cataclysm is obviously a sequel of sorts to Homeworld. What is Barking Dog Studios doing to make sure that Homeworld: Cataclysm is worthy of the Homeworld name?

Daily purification rituals and prayers in the direction of Relic's offices. Har har. Seriously, we've worked very closely with Relic to make sure that our story, the Homeworld story, and any possible future Homeworld stories, all blend into a larger, well-realized epic. We've also tried to remain close to the original game flavor of Homeworld. While we have made some additions to the game, anyone who played Homeworld will feel right at home. No pun intended.

Barking Dog worked on Counter-Strike, correct? What aspect did the team work on? What do you think makes Counter-Strike so addicting and fun?

A second team here at the dog worked on CS Beta-5 with Gooseman, so to answer your question, the Cataclysm team didn't work on any aspect of the game (though we were always more than happy to help test when we could). We were busy working on Cataclysm all through the CS B5 development.

Let's face it. The camera in Homeworld was tough to manipulate. Is Barking Dog doing anything to make the interface in Homeworld: Cataclysm any simpler?

We've made a number of changes to the UI in Cataclysm, things like a more robust right-click menu, with the intention of reducing a gamer's need to constantly micromanage. The Homeworld camera system is something we left relatively untouched. Homeworld's approach to the camera is pretty straightforward and natural. We didn't think there was much we could do to improve it.

What do you think is the most important thing to watch when developing a game, more over a sequel to a Game of the Year recipient?

The biggest trick is creating a game that will appeal to both fans of the preceding game and potential fans who aren't familiar with either your game of the original it's based on. When you're working on a spin-off of a game (especially a game of the year), your target audience is picked for you, which helps in a way, but you have to add extra considerations. You have to stay in touch with the people who made the original to make sure your vision and their vision are compatible. You have to balance the old with the new. How much new stuff can you add while keeping the core gameplay familiar?

What new features are you adding to Homeworld: Cataclysm that were not found in Homeworld?

A brief list would be Fog-of-war, upgradeable ship technologies, linking ships, energy shielding, color by vertex effects, new weapons and weapons effects, lens flare, new ships with new animations, a nasty new race, more flexible key binding, adjustable HUD information, waypoints, and external construction of ships.

What is Barking Dog Studios doing to make Homeworld: Cataclysm a different game, not just a modification for Homeworld?

We've added a deeper focus on tactical decision-making. The new features we've added make it so that everything you do during a battle impacts your fleet in some other way. The ship unit system means you'll have to consider the size and make-up of your fleet. The upgrade systems means you'll have to make decisions as to when you upgrade your ships as upgrading leaves them vulnerable. The module system means that you'll have to make decisions about how to spend your resource units. Do you spend them on ships, support units so you can build a bigger fleet, or research modules to research new technologies with which to upgrade your ships? Even then, you'll have to decide which modules to build first, depending on what technology you want to research. The core Homeworld gameplay is still there and we've explored some new things in the 3D RTS genre.

What would you bill as Homeworld: Cataclysm's most impressive feature? Why would you say that?

We're biased. Everything about the game gets us excited. We hope fans will feel the same. If we had to call out a couple of things that people online have said they can't wait to see and things people we've shown the game to are excited about the most, everybody loves the new ships, especially ships with unique functions, like the Leech or Mimic. The Mimic's holographic camouflage really gets everybody's attention when we show the game. Pretty much everything we've added to the game has excited people because they can't wait to see what kind of strategy, what kind of tactics they can come up with. Being able to play the Beast in multiplayer has gotten a lot of people excited. Everybody is big on new ways to dominate their friends and foes.

We've also worked very hard to expand the Homeworld storyline. With the blessing of Relic, we've gotten Marcus Skyler to continue the Homeworld epic forward as well as add to the rich history of the Homeworld universe. Anybody who liked the Homeworld story will love Homeworld: Cataclysm.

Is there anything you would like to add to this interview?

We're looking forward to showing off the game to anyone who can make it to E3. Keep your eyes open for a gang of Canadians with a cool, 3D, space RTS, hanging out at the Sierra booth. That'll be us, eh.

I'd like to thank Barking Dog for getting this back to us faster than Chris can jack up the page another 300Kb...

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