The Making Of CF : Rita, Sue and Cannon Fodder 2

-- MAKING OF CF1/2 --
Diary Of a Game | Rita, Sue and CF2 | Day in the life of...

In which Cam Winstanely discovers how Cannon Fodder 2 is being put together

Sensible Software, we love 'em. In thousands of years time, when all the great thinking dudes of the world gather to work out what was so flipping good about the 20th century, the name of Sensible Software will be mentioned in the same breath as The Beatles, Mother Theresa, nelson Mandela and Sean Connery. they brought us Sensible Soccer, they wrote Mega-lo-Mania, and, of course, they blessed us with Cannon Fodder.

Of course, you wouldn't know about this if it wasn't for AMIGA POWER. We love it, and in years to come, whenever philosophers and world presidents gather in closed sessions, the name of AMIGA POWER will... (Well yeah, they get the idea - Ed) We thrilled you with previews on it, we tantalised you with a monthly game diary written by the programmers and charting its progress, and we practically rendered you unconscious with awesome and exclusive demos and compos on our coverdisks. With it all topped off with the first ever review of the game, it was a surprise to absolutely no one when Cannon Fodder stormed into the AMIGA POWER All Time Top 100 at number two, and was pipped to the number one slot only by Sensible Soccer. Which was also written by Sensible. Obviously. So anyway, when we heard that they were working on a sequel to the second best Amiga game OF ALL TIME, we thought something pretty impressive was called for.

THE BIT WHERE WE RAVE A LOT

FACT : Virgin will be releasing a sequel to Cannon Fodder in time for Christmas.
FACT: Cannon Fodder was given a massive 94% in AP 32. This is the highest score we've ever given a game.
FACT: Sensible Software are working on the sequel this very minute.
FACT: The game will feature a totally remixed version of the infinitely catchy 'War's never been so much fun' song, featuring lead vocals from top Sensible geezer Jon 'Jops' Hare.
FACT: Some Scottish bloke called Stuart Campbell is using a lifetime of extensive games knowledge to make sure that the 70 odd new levels are funky, playable and extremely hard. He apparently used to work for ('McDonalds" - Uncle Joe Stalin) before he started at Sensible Software.

IDLE SPECULATION

It will be called Cannon Fodder 2, Cannon Fodder: Mother of All Battles, or something like that. Of that there is no doubt. Well, maybe just a little.
Cannon Fodder 2, Cannon Fodder 2, the notion of it just sets your heart a-pounding, doesn't it? This is the game you can hold in front of your console owning friends and shout "Ha! I own and play a game that's so brilliant that playing it makes me more handsome, stronger and an all round better person! Now go back to your tiresome and predictable plattorm games, and if you're really good to me, I might let you watch me play it later on!"

The thing about a near perfect game is that there's little room for improvement. So what are Sensible going to do then? Is it just going to be more of the same, or are we going to see new characters and controls? Are there going to be more weapons for the troops to use? Can you actually go air to air with cannon-toting helicopters, and will the ground troops finally be able to defend themselves from air attacks? Hmm, well, we don't really know. So we'd better talk to the creators, then.

THE BIT WHERE WE TALK TO THE CREATORS

It was Jools who originally coded Cannon Fodder- and also, incidentally wrote the Diary of a Game that ran from AP28 to AP31. However, he's now devoting most of his time to Sensible Golf, and consequentally finds any additional coding he has to do "a bit of a pain in the bum."

Not to worry though, because with the basic game engine in place, the buck has been passed over to Stuart Campbell and John Lilley (JL to his friends) to create new and exciting levels. John's the graphics guy who's drawing up all the new terrains, buildings and the like, whereas Stuart's actually thinking up all the levels. Sensible are being a bit cagey about things at this early stage, but it seems that there's going to be some sort of storyline this time, so instead of mindless slaughter, you'll actually be committing genocide for a reason.

"We're introducing new weapons and vehicles, but the power-ups stay the same, as they're already powerful enough. We ve no plans to include
any air to ground missiles, as we like the way you have to cower in terror of helicopters, but we've not rulen out air-to-air combat."

So now we know. What about any new features? "Well, I've been heavily influenced by the 'babalities' of Mortal Kombat 2, and was hoping we could have a friendship weapon that dispenses prettily-packaged presents and ice cold fizzy drinks, but everyone else kind of nixed that idea, so it's still knee deep in gore and slaugnter."

So its going to be Cannon Fodder only more so, which has got to be good news for the modern fan of high-velocity firearms and sucking chest wounds.

But have you ever wondered how Sensible works and what sort of high pressure environment is needed to create the best game of all time? I have, so we gave Stuart a tiny little camera and got him to talk his way throu an ordinary day at Sensible while spying on his fellow work. Next is the report he sent us back...

-- MAKING OF CF1/2 --
Diary Of a Game | Rita, Sue and CF2 | Day in the life of...