What is XMP?
XMP stands for "Expanded Multiplayer" and is based on WoT's Citadel multiplayer gamemode, spiced up with elements of TeamFortress and Tribes:
The official game description says about it:
In the new expanded multiplayer game, player teams will fight for control of planet surfaces and alien artifacts using nanotechnology replicators to build ever more sophisticated weapons such as automated gun turrets, force fields, sensors, recon and repair robots, and more. Players will choose one of three player classes at the beginning of play - class selection establishes a balance of speed, special abilities, armor, and firepower. All races, abilities, weapons, equipment, and tactics will have precedents in the single player game - but the expanded multiplayer experience brings everything together at the same time
PC Gamer has a bit more on the objectives of this gamemode:
In the new game mode, "artifacts" will be scattered throughout the map. Each team will have to control these objects, which bestow different abilities on each team member (like the Runes or Relics from other CTF game modes), and "register" them back at the base. Tactical decisions will play a part, as you decide what artifacts to target first and how the engineer supplies the team: powerful weapons will take a long time to be replicated, so do you wait for those, or start erecting defenses?
This article on PC Zone points out some more important aspect about the artifacts:
The artifacts you get in the single-player game become the object of our new multiplayer mode – each team starts with a number of these artifacts and has as their objective capturing the artifacts belonging to the opposing team. The artifacts function like relics in some of the mods and multiplayer modes introduced by other games – they give their holders some powers they otherwise wouldn't have. The trade-off is that players who carry the artifacts in order to use them in combat are also making the artifacts vulnerable. If you get killed far from your base while carrying an artifact, you've essentially handed your opposing team the equivalent of a flag.
Unreal Center has a little excerpt of an October 2001 article on the Computer Games Magazine on the topic:
In the new expanded game, class-based player teams will fight for control of planet surfaces and alien artifacts using nanotechnology relocators to build to build ever more sophisticated weapons and structures. Each of up to 32 players may be a Marine, a Mercenary, or a Skaarj, and can choose among three different classes. Available are the Grunt-soldier type, and all-bran, all-combat hard hitter who will be able to use all of the heavy weapons in the game: the "spook," a Light class unit that can move very fast and use all of the more exotic weapons; and a Tech soldier who can control replicator units that build all the weapons, ammunition, and equipment, as well as place force field generators, rocket turrets, health and armor healing stations, sensors, recon and repair robots, and any other items you can build to modify your base
Acc. this FGN Online review and the above mentioned CGM article the 3 classes are:
1. Grunts
- "standard soldiers with plenty of firepower"
- " all-bran, all-combat hard hitter who will be able to use all of the heavy weapons in the game"
2. Spooks
- "can use very fast and use all of the more exotic weapons"
- "can use stealth to scope out an enemy position"
- "can snipe using a highly accurate rifle"
- "can disguising himself as an enemy soldier and sow confusion among the enemy troops"
3. Techs
- "can control the replicators in your base, i.e. they decide what balance of weapons vs. equipment are produced at the replicator spawn points."
- "can also set up automated gun turrets and defensive elements like force fields, perimeter sensors, camera pods, and mines."
- "can place force field generators, rocket turrets, health and armor healing stations, sensors, recon and repair robots, and any other items you can build to modify your base"
Furthermore there is one universal XMP class, as CGM explained in this article:
If you want to go one-on-one with another player, you'll be able to play as a sort of "Commando Superclass" who can take on all three roles, and with more than one player, you can choose to group as any combination of the three, but you'll need to have at least one Tech character.
Read it all for yourself and take a peek preview on FGN Online into …
60 Seconds of the new expanded multiplayer game:
You have chosen to be a grunt, which means you have access to plenty of firepower but you need to work closely with the techs and the spooks on your team. The techs can control the replicators in your base - they decide what balance of weapons vs. equipment are produced at the replicator spawn points. The techs can also set up automated gun turrets and defensive elements like force fields, perimeter sensors, camera pods, and mines.
Spooks, on the other hand, are useful in battle. A spook can use stealth to scope out an enemy position, snipe using a highly accurate rifle, or help you make an assault by disguising himself as an enemy soldier and sowing confusion among the enemy troops.
Your current mission is to defend your base. Two other soldiers are standing with you, along with a tech and a spook.
The base is vulnerable, a collection of pre-fab structures nestled into a small valley. The buildings are unfortunately quite visible from the surrounding terrain, the concrete and metal providing stark contrast with the white snow and ice on this frozen world.
You know an attack is coming. You race to a replicator spawn point and grab a rocket launcher. You broadcast a message to the tech: "We need more ammo! I have lots of weapons but not enough ammo." The tech responds: "OK - I'll adjust the replicator." You trot back out to your assigned defensive position.
A few seconds later, all hell breaks loose on the other side of the base. You hear the ripping sound of the turrets opening fire as the radio waves fill with panicked chatter. "They're coming in from the back!" yells a grunt. "There are six attackers, all grunts" reports the spook. "I'm hit!" screams another grunt.
You race over to find the action. There is a pitched battle in progress. Six attacking grunts are advancing line abreast. The two base turret guns are firing at them. You can see one of the defending grunts is down - the other one is behind cover, emerging every so often to fire rockets at the attackers. Your spook is on the roof of one of the base buildings, sniping. And the tech is buliding a medic station.
You open fire as well. The attackers begin going down under the onslaught of rockets and automatic fire from the turrets. Occasionally one drops from a head shot as the sniper takes him out. You are exulting in the successful defense of the base when a rocket goes off right next to you. You are thrown sideways and your armor and health indicators drop to near zero.
You race over to the medic station to be healed, pick up some ammo at the replicator spawn point, then return to battle.
Hmmmm …. that sounds really nice.
I wonder of classes, artefacts, turrets and all that tech stuff will also be available in CTF and TDM.
So it might turn out to be a useful addition that never got its way to the full game until now!
