En Masse Entertainment discuss their new RTS Android release Battleplans

This week, publishers En Masse Entertainment released their formerly iOS-only title Battleplans for Android devices. The strategy game mixes traditional RTS elements with action elements, provided by intuitive controls. We spoke to producer Tina Zhang-Powell for the latest info on the release.

Were there any issues encountered in bringing the game to Android?

With Android, many devices needed support and testing to ensure players received a consistently good experience. Since Battleplans is all about competition among players, making sure that a wide array of devices were compatible was of paramount importance. In the end, we actually delayed the Android launch by a week upon encountering a performance issue that led the game to slow down, but thankfully, we identified that and it was fixed in time for our new release date, July 7th.
Even in our En Masse offices, the teams are split between iOS and Android. The promise of playing with each other in Battleplans has been a goal since the start of the project. No matter which device people's friends are on, we want to make sure that they can be in on the action. Another side of this is the ability to share the same game account between iOS and Android devices. Players who own an iPad and an Android phone, or an iPhone and an Android tablet will be able to progress the game from wherever they are.

What additions to the game does the new update bring?

Our newest update adds a powerful new hero—Taigar, the forest huntress. For players just starting out in Battleplans, she’s the third hero received free through gameplay. We swapped the heroes since Taigar’s power is better suited for early gameplay than Baba’s invisibility.
Of course on top of that, we have been busy making fixes to game balance and fixing bugs as fast as possible. If you read the full patch notes for this update, they’re super-long! And there's a huge list of things we still want to do, but any Developer or Publisher would tell you that. I continue to feel proud of our iOS debut, and I'm even more excited about what our new Android players will experience, now that we've had time to fix issues, and improve the game experience.

What do you feel is the game’s biggest strengths?

Battleplans rewards both the quick thinking of RTS players and the quick fingers of action players. It allows players to control their troops directly during the battle. It keeps players on their toes when defending and attacking to come up with the perfect battle plan to outsmart their enemy. We think it blends these elements very successfully and provides a very special experience on mobile. And it’s got a great stylised look that helps to set it apart.
For those players who remember classic RTS titles, this really taps into that nostalgia for them, and provides a truly deep strategic experience, and yet, Battleplans is also very much a modern mobile game with all the conveniences that players expect in such games. What we hear when we talk to players is a very distinct appreciation for the way we have combined these elements into something that is wholly new for mobile.

Are there any IAPs in the game?

Everything in the game can be earned without IAP. However, with IAP players can purchase gem packs to recruit new heroes, who all have very unique play styles, or they can speed up the progression of the game. We think this is the fairest way to approach IAP, because it does not end up giving any unfair advantages to any segment of players, but it allows the maximum number of players’ access to the title. This really puts the emphasis on solid strategic planning, and great execution.

What do fans have in store for the games next update?

We are working closely with C4M (the developer) to bring additional heroes and more social features to Battleplans, such as a guild system and world leaderboards. Honestly, we could spend the rest of our lives just tuning and improving the game. We truly love it, and love seeing the feedback and reception it’s been getting! Battleplans is a great game that we want to keep making it better and offer even more.

Google Play: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.c4m.battleplans&hl=en