Simulation and strategy games could have found a new home on the Nintendo DS. The touch screen stylus control seems to work extremely well for the genre, if the likes of EA's recent Theme Park port and the enjoyable DS version of Age of Empires are anything to go by. And it certainly seems that developers are realising the potential of the little dual-screened darling because more sims are being announced for the handheld.
One that's caught our eye is the upcoming ANNO 1701, which was originally appeared on the PC last November. The game sees you taking on the role of a high-seas adventurer in the 18th century. Your task is to colonise new areas and develop towns or villages while stamping down any uprisings from the locals who aren't too keen on being forcibly taken over.
Ahead of the game's release in July we spoke to development director Pete Walentin, who is handling the conversion of ANNO 1701 at Keen Games, about what we can expect from the DS port.
IGN: A lot of DS owners won't have heard of ANNO 1701, could you explain what the game is about?
Peter Walentin: It tales place in the Middle Ages and is about discovering a new world and then establishing a settlement. Alongside that you've also got to handle things like a system of government, controlling the settlement and some combat. There are different ways to start the game but for most, you will start with a ship and your first task is to find a good island for your new settlement.
When you start to build up your first town, you must fulfil the needs of your residents and this is where the gameplay begins. You have to balance what produce your grow to meet the requirements of the residents, while also trying to make money. If you balance this well the residents become happy and are more willing to pay their taxes - this is really the core element of the game. But it sounds much easier than it actually is. After a short while it becomes clear that the demands of your residents cannot be met by the produce you have on the island, so you must then build a new ship to find another island to colonise.
However, that could be difficult - particularly when you're playing against a CPU opponent or against friends - because that island could already be inhabited. This means you must think about new ways to colonise the island and consider coming back with a military ship, rather than a standard one.
IGN: Do you think this type of gameplay is well suited to DS?
Peter Walentin: In my opinion it's perfectly suited. First, you play the whole game with the stylus and second, we always use both screens. The lower screen is for controlling actions on your island - even scrolling through the world map by touching the screen and throwing the map around like a globe is fun. But, more importantly, it's also used to manage all your buildings, set up taxes, trade goods and control your units. Meanwhile, the upper screen gives you all the information you need - an advisor who gives you useful hints, information about costs, demands of your residents and the progress of any battles.
This style of gameplay is good for DS because it offers very fast action in both single-player and multiplayer maps but you can also choose a different mode in which you just sit down for hours and build up your world. It's extremely easy to get into the game. A player who has never played an ANNO game before only needs about 10 or 15 minutes to understand what is happening and learn the controls. After learning about the game it's totally up to you about how you want to play the game. There's a continuous mode, which lasts as long as you like, or there's a campaign mode that offers about 15 hours of mission-based gameplay.
IGN: Do you think the DS controls work better than a mouse and keyboard?
Peter Walentin: Personally, I would say yes but that's because I'm more of a console player rather than a PC player. I like to play those Touch Generations games and that's the kind of thing we want to achieve with ANNO 1701. Even though it's based on a PC game we started from scratch when we began developing Anno to meet the needs and possibilities of the DS. For example, to perform any task in the game it never requires more than just two or three touches. Plus, if you're a hardcore player we offer you some more shortcuts for the most important actions that you need to perform quickly. For example building outposts, which is very important when you're on the island of an enemy and have to act quickly, can be given a shortcut.
IGN: Given that you're so pleased with the controls of the DS, do you think that more simulation games should be released on the handheld?
Peter Walentin: Yes, absolutely. Most of the sim games available on DS are turn-based though. I do like those style of simulation games but there are very few that are real-time simulations - something that ANNO 1701 does very well. This is because, although it is in real-time, it can be played at a speed that suits the player. Beginners can go at a relaxed pace whereas hardcore players who like the pressure of a fast-paced real-time strategy game can expect a real challenge.
IGN: How easy has it been developing a game for DS?
Peter Walentin: Easy is certainly the wrong word. It was a major challenge trying to fit a PC game with lots of features onto the DS. We had to spend a lot of time ensuring all the complexities of the PC game were featured in the handheld version. Plus, we had to make sure we included an Annopedia - this is a massive instruction manual that's built into the game so that the player can consult it whenever they have a problem. For the PC game we didn't need something like that because they can look in the manual, whereas a DS player won't want to carry the booklet around with them while they play.
IGN: Did you have to make any major sacrifices in the DS game?
Pete Walentin: No, not really. In the design phase we decided to keep the game fast-paced and manageable. So we just made a few changes that make sure it's a better fit for mobile gaming.
IGN: What's the multiplayer of ANNO 1701 like?
Peter Walentin: The game uses a wireless single card multiplayer, which offers a lot of fun. There are a lot of different options to create different styles of play. You can choose from predefined maps from the single-player game or use randomly created ones. You can also select the winning conditions for each map; for example, players must reach a certain amount of money or get a specified number of residents on their islands. Personally, I like the predefined maps where you already have a healthy economy set up and can jump straight into a battle against friends. This type of game is perfect for quick matches in lunch breaks.
IGN: The DS is popular with many different audiences, which audience do you think the game is going to be most popular with?
Peter Walentin: I think it will entertain a wide range of people. It's for young people who like to conquer new worlds and they'll also be amazed by the old-world setting. It's for older players that like quick-paced battles and RTS elements. Finally, I think elderly people will enjoy it because they can govern a town, set taxes and design very nice cities with beautiful locations, including small parks, fountains and monuments.
IGN: We've talked about how well suited simulation games are for DS. Do you think the Wii also potentially well suited as well?
Peter Walentin: That's a good question. We've discussed that at Keen Games and we all think there's a chance to do something, but no one should think about just making a direct port. The game must be designed for the Wii and therefore the controls and the gameplay must be modified to suit the console. I think the Wii offers a lot of opportunities in this area but they will be very difficult to achieve.
IGN: What are you working on next?
Peter Walentin: Unfortunately I can't say much but we are working on a DS, Wii and PS2 title.
