Technology of the Global Defense Initiative

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This page lists the various technologies used by the Global Defense Initiative in the Command & Conquer series of science fiction real-time strategy computer games.

Contents 1 EVA 1.1 Other C&C Series 2 Firestorm Defense Shield 3 Harmonic Resonance 4 Ion Cannon 5 Mechanized Walkers 6 Mobius Suit 7 ORCA Aircraft 8 Other Known GDI Technologies 9 Image Gallery 10 Sources

[edit] EVA

The Electronic Video Agent or EVA, sometimes confused as Electronic Video Assistant, is a fictional artificial intelligence used primarily by the Global Defense Initiative as an advanced tactical, logistical and communications coordinating console. The Brotherhood of Nod acquired a stolen version of the technology prior to the First Tiberium War, providing the group with the same tactical advantages as the forces of the GDI which significantly complicated GDI's efforts in gaining the upperhand throughout the original conflict. During the Second Tiberium War Nod utilized its own, and vastly superior, version of the GDI technology; a sinister and unlikely advanced artificial intelligence of a mysterious origin named CABAL. Other examples of EVA-like technology have existed throughout the various series as well.

While EVA is often used in the game universe as a generic term for all battlefield command and control systems, it actually refers to a specific device, a combined strategic artificial intelligence, intelligence gathering tool, communication system and console interface, giving field commanders an omniscient view of the operational theatre. This technology allows the player to give direct commands to individual units on the battlefield while receiving a live as well as completely up-to-date analytical overview of the progressing situation in the field.

In the Command and Conquer storyline, the EVA technology was originally developed in the 1950s computer revolution during the (fictional) war between the European powers and the Soviet Union. The voice for the interface, which remained the same whether playing the Allies or the Soviets, is male. Later, at the beginning of the First Tiberium War, the EVA unit in its most well-known incarnation was introduced for the first time, its voice being that of a female.

In the Command and Conquer series, EVA is the routine method of battlefield control during the First Tiberium War and represents an advanced albeit still relatively limited artificial intelligence. By the Second Tiberium War in the 2030s, EVA is fully developed with highly sophisticated natural language processing abilities and complex logic subroutines sufficient to make complicated and extensive strategic and tactical decisions traditionally assigned to experienced commanders. This is made very clear during the events of Firestorm, when Nod forces attempting to reprogram a captured EVA unit are repeatedly warned by the AI itself of the consequences resulting from their theft and their tampering with the device.

The Brotherhood of Nod's CABAL (the Computer Assisted Biologically Augmented Lifeform) is the equivalent of EVA in terms of its functions, except it is vastly superior; CABAL truly has a mind of its own and could reason and act independently if it chose to. By comparison EVA at best gives logically-formulated advice, having no true will of its own despite its own advanced nature as an artificial intelligence. Another major difference is that EVA is normally portrayed as either a wavelength or a simple human mouth. CABAL is always portrayed as nothing less than a type of lifeform. CABAL also has a near human tone whenever it communicates, where the EVA unit communicates with a voice the tone and pitch of which is distinctly computer-generated.

The original and authentic version of EVA is the exclusive property of the United Nations, and is in use by the executive and military arm of the United Nations Security Council; the Global Defense Initiative.

EVA is voiced by Kia Huntzinger in the original Command & Conquer as well as in Renegade, and by Jessica Straus in Tiberian Sun and its expansion pack Firestorm.

[edit] Other C&C Series

Though the Red Alert and Command and Conquer series divert at this point, EVA and its equivalent are found in both series of games. It is also possible that an EVA-like equivalent exists in the Command and Conquer: Generals series as well, given that the controls between the three series are similar.

In Command & Conquer: Red Alert 2, as well as the expansion pack, Yuri's Revenge, the player in the role of one of the three faction's generals is assisted by an aide. The Allies' aide is named Lieutenant Eva (performed by actress Athena Massey). The Soviet aide is Lieutenant Zofia. Yuri's faction has an unnamed acolyte performing this role. It is highly probable that the EVA system in the Tiberium Series was named after Lt. Eva Lee, who advises the Allied player in Command & Conquer: Red Alert 2.

Eva and her counterparts perform similar duties to the EVA system, acting as a vocal interface for the player. This reliance on a human coordinator suggests that the version of the EVA-like technology in the Red Alert storyline is not yet as advanced as that found in the Tiberian series; this should not be all too surprising, as the Second Soviet War takes place prior to the 21st century.

Command & Conquer: Generals, and its expansion, Zero Hour, have no direct link to the other Command and Conquer games. However, players in the role of the three faction's generals have the same minute control over their units as in other Command and Conquer games. While this technology is not EVA per se it is clearly an equivalent to justify the same feel between the different series. However, the USA assistant addresses herself as Eva on the briefing for the first USA mission, although this is most likely a simple reference.

[edit] Firestorm Defense Shield

In Command and Conquer Tiberian Sun, the Global Defense Initiative designs a new defensive network named the Firestorm Defense Shield, and uses it as the primary defense in their Hammerfest base of operations. As a high powered energy shield defensive system, it is capable of destroying anything which is unlucky enough to fly or drive over it at the moment it is activated, and is primarily used as a defense against the Brotherhood of Nod's wide range of missiles. When activated, nothing can pass over it. However, it has three weaknesses:

• The Firestorm Defense cannot destroy units which can burrow under it, such as the Subterranean APC or the Devil's Tongue Flame Tank.
• The Firestorm Defense will shut down if there is not enough power to maintain the Firestorm Generator and all of the Firestorm Wall Sections.
• The Firestorm Defense cannot defend against an orbital attack, such as the ion cannon or a missle launched by a satellite. In addition the actual generator features weak armor and can be quite easily destroyed by said orbital attacks with a single strike.

The system works by first constructing a Firestorm Generator, and then constructing Firestorm Wall Sections to be laid around a base. The Firestorm Generator takes some time to fully charge, but when it has, the commander can turn the defense on and off at will until the charge runs out. Once the charge depletes, the Firestorm Generator will need to fully recharge again before it can be used once more.

[edit] Harmonic Resonance

The technology for the Distruptor units developed by the GDI centers around special sonic crystals. These, when under power and placed in special equipment, would generate a highly destructive wave of sonic energy. The might of these waves would be harnessed by GDI, who, by using specially designed Distruptor turrets, would amplify the waves with a large, reflective dish and with the same dish project them against foes and installations on the battlefield. Due to time constraints, the vehicle the turret was mounted upon was a simple treaded vehicle, similiar to the ones used for the Mobile Construction Vehicles.

However, the hasty implementation and introduction of this technology onto the battlefield had it's consequences - the Distruptors had virtually no armour, and could have been taken out by even basic light infantry.

The Harmonic resonance technology will be used in the Third Tiberium War, according to Mike Verdu's blog, in the form of special wave generators, which are able to deconstruct Tiberium crystals. However, the technology is very unstable, possibly due to it being powered by (ironically) Tiberium itself.

[edit] Ion Cannon

In Command and Conquer, the Global Defense Initiative's (GDI) ultimate ace in the hole weapon is its satellite-based Ion Cannon. GDI commanders are given this ability to match Nod’s nuclear capability in Command & Conquer and Nod’s chemical and multi-missile capabilities in Tiberian Sun, which makes the Ion Cannon a superweapon in the Command and Conquer: Tiberian universe. This satellite was used to attack Brotherhood of Nod installations and forces; it is used at the end of the First Tiberium War to destroy the Brotherhood's command centre, the Temple of Nod. In Tiberian Sun the control station for GDI's Ion Cannon was moved to their new upgrade center, where it remained in Firestorm.

In Renegade GDI’s Ion Cannon is used to strike at a hidden Nod base, and may be called to fire at a given target through the placement of specially designed "Godsend" Ion Cannon Beacons. It is also stated in Renegade that the Ion Cannon can be fired at a Nod installation if the installation in question can be accurately located by Global Positioning System satellites. The Ion Cannon satellite itself is shown in a video sequence powering up for an attack on the Temple of Nod.

When an Ion Cannon is activated in the real-time strategy versions of Command & Conquer there is no advanced warning of the satellite's impending strike; players observe a sudden blast of blueish white light that strikes its target with the speed of a lightning bolt. In Tiberian Sun the ion strike remains the same, except that players can observe the remainder of the Ion Cannon beam for several seconds, and the ground area in the immediate surrounding area can be observed to have a ripple effect from the impact of the blast. In Renegade, an Ion Cannon strike is announced to all players on the field through EVA units and the sky over the map will become dark and stormy. Players in the vicinity of an Ion Cannon strike will also hear a series of beeps that denote the location of the Ion Cannon beacon, allowing them a chance to escape the blast or, conversely, a chance to deactivate the beacon and prevent the satellite strike altogether.

GDI’s Ion Cannon is not a 'true' ion weapon: it is in fact a high-intensity Laser and/or Particle Beam, and the term "Ion Cannon" may simply describe the fact that it focuses ionized particles.

[edit] Mechanized Walkers

The concept of an all terrain battle walker, capable of delivering heavy firepower from any location on the battlefield, has first surfaced in the First Tiberium War in the form of a prototypical bipedal X-O powersuit (left). The versatile unit was lightly armoured, but could carry several different weapon systems, which included a 35mm Rocket Launcher and a high-powered laser. The results of initial tests were so promising, that the technology was extensively researched and developed.

Walkers formed the backbone of the GDI taskforce in the Second Tiberium War, following aforementione research and development. The Humvee was superseded by a Wolverine Powered Combat suit with twin automatic cannons on it's arms with recon as it's role. The M1 Abrams MBT was replaced by a Titan Medium Mechanized Battle Walker with an 80mm shoulder mounted cannon. However, the technology was still being further developed, as the mighty Mammoth Mk. II was being developed and first units fielded at the time.

Following the events of the Second Tiberium War, GDI was expanding on the concept, developing another walker unit, the Juggernaut, equipped with 120mm naval cruiser cannons, as a countermeasure to Nod artillery.

However, the walker technology had it's drawbacks. The mechanisms utilized by these units were not only expensive and complicated to built, they also required constant maintenance and were relatively weak and fragile to enemy fire, as well as being unreliable in the field^[1]. As such, the frontline walkers were gradually phased out and replaced with cheaper, more resilient tanks, such as the Predator and Mammoth 27, with only the long-range Juggernaut Mk. III remaining in active service in 2047.

Ironically, Nod managed to overcome these drawbacks and by 2047 fields it's own, powerful bipedal Nod Avatar, turning old GDI tech against them.

[edit] Mobius Suit

The Mobius Suit is a personal powered suit that somewhat resembles a space suit. It was designed by Dr. Ignatio Mobius for use in handling Tiberium for experimentation (although the suit itself cannot walk through fields of fresh Tiberium without the user taking damage). Dr. Mobius’s daughter Sydney has since added additional armour and other assault type weaponry to the suit in an effort to transform the suit into an actual combat weapon. Both Sydney and Ignatio use the suit, though they are the only people in the world who know how to operate it.

Concept artwork of GDI Zone Troopers in Tiberium Wars Suggest that they may be using advanced versions of the Mobius Suit, although this is currently only speculation.

[edit] ORCA Aircraft

The ORCA series of aircraft was first introduced in the later parts of the First Tiberium war, in the form of an ORCA Assault Craft. The main feature of the system was the abandonment of the classic rotary wing propulsion with twin jet engines on articulate mounts, a perfect VTOL aircraft.

The first model (upper left image) was exceptionally fast and lightly armoured, with ten Dragon TOW missiles in it's side-mounted rocket pods and a chin-mounted large caliber minigun. It's speed allowed it to outrun most surface-to-air rockets and quickly hit armoured units and unprotected buildings with surgical precision. The first ORCA Assault Craft was also compact enough to be transported and deployed from special cargo trailers.

During the gap between the two Tiberium Wars, GDI perfected the ORCA technology, adopting the acronym as codename for the series of the powerful VTOL aircraft. In addition to perfecting the technology and upgrading the original ORCA Assault Craft (middle left image), several specialized variants were developed, including a mighty Orca Bomber (lower left), carrying highly destructive explosive munitions designed to wreak havoc against buildings and armor alike, although at the expense of their speed. Another variant was the Orca Transport (lower right), a long, lightly armoured air transport craft, designed to move people and light equipment over vast distances fast. For hauling heavy military ordnance two aircraft were designed - the Orca Carry-All (middle right), a large flying crane, with engines powerful enough to airlift even the immense, prototypical Mammoth Mk. IIs, and the Orca Dropship (upper right), which could ferry large amounts of battle walkers onto the battlefield.

Another variant, the Orca Command, was designed and manufactured. These aircraft would serve as mobile command centers for GDI commanders world-wide. One of the more famous, designated 3A and code-named Kodiak, served as GDI's field commander McNeil's command vessel.

The main disadvantage of the Orca technology was it's susceptibility to electromagnetic interference from Ion Storms, which almost proved to be the cause of Kodiak's destruction, as it was grounded during such a storm and ambushed by Nod forces. Following the conclusion fo the Second Tiberium War, the Kodiak was shielded against such interference, allowing it to secure the Tacitus at the Cairo site. However, it's design wasn't resistant to Ion Storm lightnings, which destroyed one of it's engines and caused it to crash-land in north Africa.

[edit] Other Known GDI Technologies

• Discs - In Tiberian Sun, GDI reworked the concept of a hand grenade, with intentions of making it a more long-range weapon with improved damage capabilities. The disc shaped rounds carry more explosives than a classic grenade and can bounce off the ground in addition to their gliding ability.
• Drop Pods - A disposable atmosperic entry vehicle, these single soldier pods are capable of rapidly descending and delivering a single infantry unit anywhere on the battlefield. However, once it made planetfall, the pod cannot be reused.
• Electromagnetic Pulse Weaponry - GDI has mastered generating electro magnetic pulses and utilized them as an anti-vehicle weapon in the Second Tiberium War.
• Hover technology - this exotic technology was developed by GDI to create an absolutely all-terrain light strike craft. The technology had it's quirks and craft propelled by it couldn't be equipped with strong armour or heavy weapons, so by the time of the Second Tiberium War only Hover MRLS were fielded. GDI abandoned hover technology due to the aforementioned quirks and it's susceptibility to ion storms.
• Jump Jets - During the Second Tiberium War, GDI perfected jet pack technology and developed man-portable jet units, allowing soldiers to hover and strike any target on the battlefield with relative ease. The Jump Jet technology has been further developed and by 2047 has been utilized by GDI Commando units and Zone Troopers.
• Railguns - High powered magnetic acceleration weapons were developed by GDI and used in the Mammoth Mk. II prototypical walker. The Forgotten commando, Ghostalker also posessed a man-portable railgun of considerably lesser power.
• Space - Throughout the Command and Conquer series, GDI had assets in space. In Tiberium Dawn, GDI's Ion Cannon orbited Earth. By Tiberium Sun, GDI's Headquarters was located in above Earth, on the space station Philadelphia. In Command and Conquer 3, GDI space technology had developed rapidly after the Second Tiberium War.

In Command & Conquer 3: Tiberium Wars, it has been stated that GDI focuses on Tiberium containment and environment restoration, as well as economic prosperity research, at the expense of military technology.

[edit] Image Gallery

Another view of GDI’s Ion Cannon Strike, this one taken from Renegade

Concept artwork of what may be the Ion Cannon in C&C: Tiberium Wars

[edit] Sources

1. ^ http://www.ea.com/commandandconquer/news.jsp?ncc=1&id=6