World in Conflict - interview

Fixed camera angles looking down on masses of units will go the way of the dinosaur if lead designer, Magnus Jansén has his way. "We want the world to wake up and realize that this is the way to play RTS games." says Jansén, when asked about World in Conflict's unique camera control system. Mousing to the sides of the screen will rotate the camera angle and you can zoom back and forth with the WASD keys, much like a first-person shooter. A Supreme Commander-esque mega map which shows the entire battlefield from the traditional top down view is also available, but Jansén was not willing to comment on whether or not dual monitor support would be available.

The flexible camera and map help frame World in Conflict's cinematic scenes. Buildings will crumble, smoke will rise, and the fully destructible environments will transform into pock marked wastelands as the battles rage on. But it's the little details that make all the difference on the game's visual front. You can see individual bullets from anti-aircraft guns as they fire away, and zoom in low to read the menu in the window of a bombed out diner.