Billed as the biggest game of the year the guys from the development team actually had chance to sit down with IGN for a quick chat about the game.

Three and a half years ago, id Software shook QuakeCon 2001 with its announcement of Quake 4. While few details were released then, the mere mention of the highly anticipated sequel, developed with Raven Software and built upon the (then unfinished) Doom 3 engine was enough to send gamers into a frenzy. However, aside from a lone concept sketch of a Strogg warrior, information about the game has been extremely sparse, until now.

IGN: Quake and Doom were known for some claustrophobic spaces that increased tension during play. Is there much more of the same in Quake 4, or are there more open spaces with hordes of creatures?

Tim Willits: Doom 3 was much more of a solitary experience where you were alone, whereas Quake 4 is much more of a war experience with buddies and additional forces around you. There are a number of outdoor environments, plenty of vehicles to fight in and around, and a definite mix of levels between indoor and outdoor levels. For instance, you may have to go inside a structure to perform a task, then return outside to be retrieved. Thanks to Raven's level design, there are a number of indoor levels that are so detailed they make Doom 3's graphics look plain.

Doom 3 and plain graphics in the same sentence? Surely not.