You asked, Rebellion answered. After a bit of a delay, we’re happy to provide you with the community Q&A from Tim Jones. We received an overwhelming amount of questions from the Forums, Twitter, and Facebook. We received so many; we had to take single questions to ensure everyone had a chance to participate. Enjoy!

AlienTechProductions - Will you make more classes or is there just a standard class for each faction?
Tim Jones- We’ve focused on balancing each species/faction so that each one has a fighting chance in a one-on-one grudge match against any other, so we have no immediate plans for more classes.

Filthy Blood Junkie – Does AvP3 use ragdoll physics in multiplayer?
Tim Jones- Yes, ragdoll physics are very much in evidence when you die in multiplayer.

VEF214 – Will marines have access to any kind of “equipment”? (Sentry turrets, barricades)?
Tim Jones- There are a number of sequences in the single player campaigns where Marines will be using Sentry Guns to defend themselves. Some of the other “equipment” the Marines get to use include their torch, flares, hacking tool, Motion Tracker, and of course the Smart Gun which automatically targets enemies and tears them apart with ammunition at the push of a button

Leventa – The whole game just screams AvP, from the font of the letters denoting the various colony blocks, to the sounds of the doors and pulse rifles. Even the elephantine shrieks of wounded aliens. I even noticed the amazing detail paid to the translucent head on the Runner aliens shown in the Survivor mode promotion video, and all the creepy details beneath it when the light hits it just right.
All this in mind, I’d like to ask you this Tim: How much of a labor of love is this game for you and your team?
Tim Jones- Well I think you just answered that question yourself! This game has been an obsessive passion for us and we constantly strive to make it as authentic as it can be. It’s a genuine thrill when fans like yourself pick up on the love we’ve poured into it!

Uyuyuy – will be future missions as DLC ??? Does the game support split screen ?
Tim Jones – AvP does not support split-screen but you can expect further Survivor Mode missions as DLC.

Blooddrunk – Does the Smart-Gun have the same sound like in the movie, because in trailers I saw it sounds completely different?
Tim Jones- Well spotted! We have updated the sound of the Smart Gun, so you are right – it isn’t exactly the same as in the movies. We gave it a heavier sound – a little more like the Mini-gun in Predator.

xXMinionXx – How will the weapons be implemented into the multiplayer in modes like predator hunt or infestation?
Tim Jones- Marines spawn with Pistols and Pulse Rifles in their inventory. Other weapons, they have to find and pick up around the Maps as they play. In Predator Hunt, the Predator player spawns with just Wrist-Blades — they have to seek out the more powerful weapons like the Plasma-Caster or the Smart Disc if they really want to dominate the hunt!

JaHawk – Can you choose the killmove initiated or is it determined by a random generator?
Tim Jones- You have a certain amount of control over how you finish your enemies: if you initiate a finishing move from behind, it will be a stealth kill – i.e. silent and unnoticed by other enemies unless they see it directly. If you initiate a finishing move from the front, while your opponent is stunned it will be… not so stealthy! The exact finishing move animation that you see is randomized. Of course, you always have the option to finish your enemy with standard melee strikes, which is faster and involves less risk to you as a player.

Wraith King – Will you be able to use the Alien Queen in multiplayer?
Tim Jones- No, sorry!

emc – How do TK’s work in MP? Are they easy to pull off? What happens when two people TK at the same time? Is there a mechanic?
Tim Jones- TK’s? Do you mean finishing moves? They are initiated in exactly the same way as in single player: from behind, or from the front if your opponent is stunned or knocked-down. You are vulnerable to attack during a finishing move so you have to pick your moment carefully!

Wicked Sick – Why the decision to remove player controlled facehuggers (aka Lifecycle) and Predaliens from the game? These two classes put the Alien in Alien vs. Predator.
Tim Jones- Creating a compelling experience for each of the three main species (Marine, Predator and Alien) is essentially like making three very different games at the same time. If we were to make the Face Huggers and Predaliens playable with the same attention to detail (that they would deserve), it would be like adding another two game types to what is already an ambitious project!

JAGX – How will Aliens work given that they have only skins and no classes?
Tim Jones- Aliens have the advantage of superior speed, agility and melee strength. Trust me, it’s a new kind of experience but it’ll make sense when you play it!

bent toe – Will there be a lobby where you can set up map rotations, invite friends, talk before the match start, set all options etc… AND, will it be MATCHMAKING or SERVER BROWSER?
Tim Jones- There is a lobby where you can set up the game details and collect your friends before starting the match. We use a combination of matchmaking and server browsers.

Nosugora – The addition of Corporates as a playable faction in Aliens vs. Predator 2 added a whole new aspect to the multiplayer. Corporates vs. Marines servers were quite common. Can we expect any form of Human vs. Human game modes besides standard deathmatch?
Tim Jones- We have no immediate plans for Human vs. Human game modes.

Che_Guevara – What prompted you to decide to downgrade the movement speed of the Xenomorphs as seen in AVP 1999?

Tim Jones- We have upgraded the abilities of the Xenomorph to include a higher level of fluid, graceful agility and variation in realistic movement speed consistent with what is seen in the movies. The Xenomorphs in AvP use a combination of movement speeds – from slow, sneaky prowling to rapid sprinting to lightning fast pounces. This is true for both the computer controlled AI and for the player Aliens.

dchalfont – My question: Why were bots not included, and will we ever see them in AVP. For people with slow internet, or who do not like to play online they would have added significant replay value.
Tim Jones- The Aliens in online Survivor Mode are essentially “bots” and those without an internet connection are able to play this mode in Single Player too.

ORCA_DA_BOMA – one of the things that some of our members were wondering about is how you balanced the stealth kill system?
Tim Jones- Every species has the ability to spot the other species if they keep their wits about them — the Marine has the Motion Tracker, the Predator has his Vision Modes, the Alien can sense pheromones — if someone manages to exectute a stealth kill on you, it is because you weren’t paying attention!

predpwnage - how many species will there be during deathmatch team deathmath etc….?
Tim Jones- All three species will be able to play in Deathmatch and Species Team Deathmatch modes.

lessthankiwi - Will trophy kills be blockable in multiplayer, like they are in singleplayer?
Tim Jones- Every species is able to block or counter melee combat moves in multiplayer if they react fast enough…

no1phil - How many players will each game support and what modes will be included in multiplayer?
Tim Jones- Multiplayer supports up to 18 players in a game at one time. The exception to this is Survivor mode which supports up to 4 Marine players. The multiplayer modes include are: Survivor, Infestation, Predator Hunt, Domination, Deathmatch, Species Team Deathmatch, and Mixed Species Team Deathmatch.

AdamXENO - I would like to ask if the Survivor Edition/Hunter Edition multiplayer maps will be available later in the future to those who buy the Standard version?
Tim Jones- Yes they will, as Downloadable Content.

Theo - Do you intend to include more skins for multiplayer use?
Tim Jones- No current plans for further multiplayer skins, but you can unlock quite a variety by playing Ranked Matches and working up your XP.

Nathan J – Will there be Play Against A Developer Day?
Tim Jones- Maybe… we’ll look into it.

Maxwell - What skins will we see in multiplayer?
Tim Jones- There are a variety for each species, and one or two surprises for fans of the AvP movies!

PredatorWorld - Will Rebellion create Female Predator skins for multiplayer in the future?
Tim Jones- Never say never…

Jonas – Just wondering if it will be possible to enter vents as the alien without having to press a button to do so? Like you can run into the vent like it was an open door (how I personally think it should be). And can you enter vents as a marine?
Tim Jones- You have to actively choose to enter vents as an Alien – we did this to make it easier for the player to navigate the environment smoothly, so they can run straight over a vent without entering it if they want to, and also we can ensure they are facing in the right direction when they actually do deliberately enter a vent. The Marine will find themselves in all sorts of unpleasant places in the single player campaign…

Doc Mesa – How exactly will the ìInfectionî game mode work? I understand that it begins with one Alien vs. 20ish Marines but what stops those Marines from bunching together and creating an impenetrable wall of lead for the Alien?
Tim Jones- Infestation Mode starts with everyone as Marines. One player is picked at random to be an Alien. When a Marine is killed, they come back as an Alien. As a Marine, if you find yourself as the last man standing, you may be lucky enough to find a Smart Gun and take down a bunch of the Aliens before you finally buy the farm… A well-organized team of Marines may be able to defend themselves for a while against the first Alien, but sooner or later, someone always makes a mistake and gets picked off…

Tony – will the PC version be any different in terms of Alien control? IE, will free crawling be possible, or will we have to use the transition button every time?
Tim Jones- There is an option in the controls menus on both console and PC to “free crawl” and remove the need to use the Transition Button.

DJ Fob Fresh – How are the three species balanced for multi-player play in the various game modes?
Tim Jones- Each species has their own advantages and disadvantages which all help balance the experience: The Alien lacks ranged weapons but has speed, agility, melee strength and powerful senses; the Predator has lots of gadgets, jumping ability and melee strength but lacks rapid-fire ranged weaponry; the Marine is least agile and lacks melee strength, but has the Motion Tracker and powerful rapid fire ranged weaponry.

Bob – Is AVP focus more on the console pr pc version??? And which version is better
Tim Jones- Every format of AvP has equal care and attention given to it to make sure it is everything it can be. It’s up to you to pick the version which suits your set-up… you won’t be disappointed!

Jay223 – About having Hicks and Hudson in multiplayer ñ will there be taunts? I would love to run around as Hudson saying game over, Man
Tim Jones- You are free to taunt however you choose over voice-coms!

Franco Roman – And are there going to be any new things you can do in AvP 3 that you couldn’t do in AvP 2.
Tim Jones- There are, of course, countless improvements across the board, but a few highlights include: We’ve added significant depth to the melee combat for all species, the Predator has considerably more agility than previously, and the Alien has the ability to sense its victims through walls.

Josh – will the x and y be balanced this time and will we have a numerical value for the level of mouse sensitivity (PC)?
Tim Jones- We’ve put a lot of effort into tuning the camera movement to be accessible and responsive for all players. There are options to adjust it to your preferences so I hope you will be happy with the results.

Genozide - I saw in a recent vid the smartgun targeting system looks very innovative.. But with a keyboard and mouse how do you move and turn if mouse is in the smartguns small box or is that area autoaiming?
Tim Jones- The box indicates the autoaim area for the Smart Gun — you can still turn and move (though you can’t sprint while using it). You can also toggle the auto-targeting function off with the secondary fire button.

$t@ti© – Will you be able to play a Team Deathmatch with Aliens, Predators, AND Marines on the same team against another team of Aliens, Predators, and Marines?
Tim Jones- Absolutely – we call that more Mixed Species Team Deathmatch.

Professor Pickle - How much does this game harkens back to the originals?
Tim Jones- If you loved the originals, you should love this one!

Lasse – How is death handled? Will the player stay dead for the rest of the game or will he respawn? If so, when?
Tim Jones- In most modes you respawn after a couple of seconds, though in Infestation if you die as a Marine, you will come back as an Alien… In Survivor mode, if you die, you remain dead until the end of the round.

Kontra Komando – Will you be able to have multiple teams duke it out for supremacy in online team deathmatch? i.e. 4 teams of 4 players each.
Tim Jones- Species Team Deathmatch allows up to three teams to battle it out simultaneously.

Lord Daxtrovian – My question is the following: Weíve seen many modes in multiplayer, but will there be special options to play to our preference? For example, I dunnoÖ maybe disable 1 hit kills, or predators starting with a certain range of weapons.
Tim Jones- The host can adjust a number of settings, depending on the game mode – map choice, score limits, time limits, player limits and friendly fire etc.

XxDarkspacexX – when you kill a alien when you walk over it will you still get damaged by the acid?
Tim Jones- Yes you will!

James - Will the PC version allow for the use of say, an Xbox 360 controller? I know the mouse and keyboard set up is better etc etc (before I get flamed), but sometimes after 10 hours of work behind a PC using a mouse and keyboard, it’s nice to use a controller. Thanks.
Tim Jones- Yep, Xbox 360 controller is fully supported on PC.

Randy K – I see a lot of finishing attacks being performed on humans in the videos I’ve seen, where the predator or alien are the executors, giving me a feeling that the colonial marines are squishy and non-threatening, What would by my incentive to actively play a human character? what’s the trade-off?
Tim Jones- The Marines have a formidable arsenal, and there are few things more satisfying than tearing apart an Alien or a Predator with a Pulse Rifle!

Nathan – I hope this works. but I wanna know how leap attack works. does it just do damage or does it cause anything special for aliens
Tim Jones- It will do damage, and if done over a long enough distance, you will knock your target to the floor too, leaving them vulnerable for a few seconds…

Robert – How many Predator weapons will we have access to?
Tim Jones- The Predator has his Wrist Blades, Shoulder Cannon, Smart Disc, Throwing Spear, Proximity Mines, Vision Modes, Distraction Mode, and Zoom — plenty for you to play with…

Anna – Will people without the 4 exclusive maps be able to play the maps if they’re playing with people who do have the maps?
Tim Jones- You will have to have the maps if you are to play them. They will become available to all players as downloadable content in the near future.

Tyler – Is this game going to be tied in the movie series’?
Tim Jones- The story is consistent with the continuity established in the movie series — it takes place around 30 years after the events in Alien 3.

Peter – How often will Skins in Multiplayer be unlocked and will any Skins be unlocked in campaign and or survivor?
Tim Jones- Multiplayer Skins are unlocked through progress in Ranked multiplayer matches and increasing your XP level.

Daniel – How much dx11 features is in the game? Like is everything using tesselation and how does it affect performance if using a radeon HD5850 Card?
Tim Jones- DirectX 11 has dynamic tesselation on the Aliens, full-screen anti-aliasing, numerous performance benefits and support for multiple monitors amongst other features. It’s a great way to show off the power of your state-of-the-art PC setup!

Alex – Even though you’ve said there will be no predalien in the game, will there still be a predalien skin in multiplayer?
Tim Jones- I’m afraid no Predalien in multiplayer, but he makes a significant contribution as a formidable enemy in the single player campaign.

James – Is the campaign mode co-op? Or any hint of Co-op at all?
Tim Jones- The campaign is focused on a single player experience – it’s the best way to maintain the atmosphere and tension in the narrative for AvP. You can, however, play cooperatively with up to four Marines online in the Survivor Mode against waves of AI controlled Aliens which a truly nerve-wracking experience!

David – will the focus leap for the Aliens be similar to the predator setup? if not how does it work?
Tim Jones- Yes – it’s very similar to that for the Predator so the controls should feel intuitive. Of course, the Alien is able to do it from any angle!

Scabs all over - how many different alien and predator types may I play as? Is the “Alien/predator” from AVP-R in the game? How about Bishop?
Tim Jones- There should be plenty of variety of skins in multiplayer to keep you entertained — fans of the Predator in AvP-R should be particularly pleased!

theramsfan39 – Why is there no ability for iron sights for the marine players?
Tim Jones- It’s a feature that we found players just didn’t make much use of against the kinds of foes we have in the game. We do however have a Scoped Rifle for the Marine which offers similar functionality.