Q&A with the creators of Elements of Destruction. [UPDATED]

The fine folks over at Frozen Codebase must really like us, because they were kind enough to do another Q&A for you. This time we'll talk about their upcoming title Elements of Destruction. Not only that, but they also sent along some exclusive screenshots of the carnage for your enjoyment. So without further ado...

[UPDATE] How could I forget? Frozen Codebase has also released the trailer for Elements of Destruction!!

XBLArcade.com: For those of our readers who haven't read our first conversation with you, tell us about Frozen Codebase.

Ben Geisler (Frozen Codebase Producer):

We’re an independent game studio based in Green Bay, Wisconsin. Many of our developers have come from other studios including Raven and GarageGames. Our focus is on the quick-play market. Platforms we’re working on include XBox Live Arcade, WiiWare and Instant Action (GarageGames). We’re a closely knit group of dorks, rock stars and geeks who put a considerable amount of passion into our work. It’s not uncommon to see people here in the wee hours of the morning, though we manage to have a lot of fun in the process. One of our mottos is “punk rock game development”-- we also like to go by the stylish moniker of “The Camaro of Game Developers,” ‘cause, well, if a game developer is gonna exist in Green Bay, WI, they better fit in with the locals! Plus, okay, it’s just funny. We have Mario Kart tournaments in the office, Tecmo Bowl (yes on the NES!) tournaments during the NFL playoffs, and all kinds of other stuff to inspire us to make great games. Our favorite after-work hang out is Lenny’s Tap, where you can get PBR for 75 cents! We believe that to make great games you must have a strong foundation. Each game we ship will increase in quality and always be a step more innovative than the competition in our space.

Click Read More for the rest of the interview...

XBLArcade.com: Given your strong focus on gameplay, what will it be like to play EoD?

Justin Kovac (Frozen Codebase Lead Designer):

It's a somewhat silly mix of strategy and action, really. You're able to cast various forces of nature... which destroy things. Truthfully though, playing the game will kind of feel like you're in an RTS style of game, but your avatar acts as a physical object that moves along the terrain. You'll be pitted against a variety of hazards, both mobile and stationary, that will both absorb your elements as well as attack your avatar directly.

XBLArcade.com: What did you learn from your experiences making Screwjumper? What will you do differently with EoD?

Ben Geisler (Frozen Codebase Producer):

Screwjumper was a challenge. This was a brand new IP created with care by the entire studio. At the time we were only six individuals. Back then we wore a lot of hats. Our sound designer at the time was also our lead designer and our level designer. He was also our forklift driver. We had rented this warehouse-like facility and they gave us a forklift. I’m not sure why. Also we didn’t have any carpet -- or walls. Great times. We’re now 23 members strong, spread out across three teams, with a variety of developers from all over the country. It’s not like we’re about to build a whirlpool in a penthouse suite or something [cough cough -- a clear jab at a certain Dallas based studio ;)]. But yeah, at least we have carpet now. Point is, these are different times with brand new teams and an increased focus.

A lot of learning took place during Screwjumper. While some of us had been part of the gaming industry before, on this project we were getting used to working with each other at the same time that we were making a completely original title. I’m proud of the fact that we got the title done and through Microsoft’s grueling CERT process. While the reviewers hammered the game, there are certain fans I meet at conferences and out in public that tell me how much they liked the game.

That said, the learning curve was certainly too high. We’ve learned that focus testing is absolutely critical. I knew this already having worked at Radical Entertainment on Incredible Hulk: Ultimate Destruction, but we had certain road blocks stopping us from performing focus testing. We now understand that nothing should stop us from getting public feedback on our games. In short, we learned to trust our instincts. We also better understand the push for quality. Certainly XBox Live Arcade titles pale in comparison to full retail 360 titles as far as quality goes -- the average cost for development on an XBox Live Arcade title is still in the hundreds of thousands, while retail XBox 360 studios get in the tens of millions to make their products. Despite this, reviewers grade our games up against the bigger players – but who cares, I’ve always had a thing for the underdog.

Elements of Destruction takes what was learned in Screwjumper, in terms of focus testing, pushing quality, and, above all, pushing pick-up-and-play gameplay. We showed Elements of Destruction at GDC ’08 two weeks ago. It was playing very well and I believe it will be well received.

We’ve worked very closely with THQ on this title. Elements of Destruction is the brainchild of Peter Armstrong, who is our external producer. They have been great at giving feedback every step of the way. Critical care was taken to make this an experience we all enjoy, and a game we keep coming back to.

XBLArcade.com:The game seems to have a Sim City with "disasters turned up to 11" vibe to it, was that intentional?

Justin Kovac (Frozen Codebase Lead Designer):

Absolutely. The original ideas (which are more noticeable in the DS version) were focused on just taking a concept like Sim City and flipping it around. Knowing that was the game at its very core, we were then able to focus on all the other gameplay elements to stack onto it.

XBLArcade.com: Tell us about the Multiplayer elements?

Justin Kovac (Frozen Codebase Lead Designer):

The Multiplayer side of the game are Cooperative and Destruction modes. In Cooperative mode, the campaign works the same as Single Player, though a few things are slightly tweaked (such as the required number of generators destroyed to defeat a boss). Destruction mode supports up to four players on Xbox Live (two on split-screen), and is a head-to-head race of who can destroy the most before the clock runs out. Since the player only starts with level 1 elements, powerups are scattered throughout the levels that will give the player the higher level elements, as well as things like temporary invincibility and score multipliers. Death in destruction will take away a portion of the money you've earned, so players can focus on destroying more than their opponents or focus solely on destroying them.

XBLArcade.com: What other game modes will we be seeing?

Justin Kovac (Frozen Codebase Lead Designer)

Single player will consist of three modes. The Story mode is your basic “progress through the game until the end” mode. Free Play mode allows players to hop into any of the missions they've completed in Story mode and take as long as they want to destroy all the buildings in any level. Lastly, Survival mode is unlocked after beating the game and is essentially the game’s expert mode. In this mode, the player's energy is constantly draining and powerups are scattered through the levels.

XBLArcade.com: Last time we talked, you mentioned that you wanted to see XBLA developers push the envelope and that we should "stay tuned to see what we do on our next XBLA title!", so how have you pushed said envelope with EoD?

Justin Kovac (Frozen Codebase Lead Designer)

At its core, EoD is simply about having fun destroying as much as possible. For more experienced players, however, strategy on how to complete the levels as quickly as possible or earn Gold ranking in them can really require the player to plot their method of attack. From our focus testing, both internally and at random LAN centers, each player will eventually come up with a specific path of destruction that they follow for each level. With that in mind, Leaderboards should be a very enjoyable experience for any competitive gamer. I'd consider myself pretty darn good at the game and after a few days of our outsourced Quality Assurance team playing, they were really pushing hard to knock me off the top tiers. It really brings out a fun and addictive gameplay element that'll hopefully make any player want to go back in for more.

XBLArcade.com:Will we be seeing any DLC for the title, and if so, what will it entail?

Ben Geisler (Frozen Codebase Producer):

I will only say this -- yes!!! There is something really cool in the works and DLC is definitely planned. It’s going to entail not only an enhancement to the original experience but brand new modes.

XBLArcade.com:When are we going to be able to get our grubby little paws on it? And before you bust out that "No comment", at least give us some sort of hint :)

Ben Geisler (Frozen Codebase Producer):

I’ll tell you that we’re entering CERT testing now. Let’s keep our fingers crossed and we’ll have it to you as soon as possible!

XBLArcade.com: Lastly, and while this isn't EoD specific, given recent events many people have been asking: What effect do you think Microsoft's XNA Community Arcadeis going to affect XBLA developers and their games?

Ben Geisler (Frozen Codebase Producer):

I think it’s great. The larger the talent pool, the better our chances of finding qualified developers. To me the XNA Community Arcade piece is a great place to prove yourself and get a really cool game released. I honestly believe this will have a positive impact on the community.