Those who’ve been around the custom game scene since the Warcraft III days may be filled with nostalgia after checking out this week’s featured Arcade game. Inspired by a Warcraft III map, Pimp My Footman has the player taking control of a handful of lowly basic infantry units. These solders can then be ‘pimped out’ and given specialized attacks as well as boosted attributes. The choices you make are reflected by your army’s appearance. Increasing your footmen’s health increases their size, increasing their armor adds shoulder plating, and increasing their damage changes the weapons they wield. With only a limited amount of minerals to start with, the challenge lies in deciding on what abilities to focus on and discovering new upgrade combinations.

Be default, you and an ally face off against up to six other teams of two players each. Your goal is to take out opposition bases by destroying the four Shield Generators that protect them. You acquire resources by killing other footmen and by killing creatures scattered around the map. Two towers in the middle of the map provide bonus resources to whatever team holds them; keeping the central action constant as the team who gains resources the fastest will gain the upper hand.

Check out our interview with the game’s creator, Nabeel, and then hop on Battle.net to begin training your footmen. You can also watch ChanmanV’s latest episode of “Wednesday Night Sprites” where he and his crew gave PMF a spin.

How did you get started in game design?
I'm a big fan of Warcraft III's "Pimp My Peon." I waited for the original creator to make a StarCraft II version but it never happened so I tried making my own version.

I was new to the StarCraft II Editor so it took me a while to get the hang of it. Initially, I didn’t have a set vision for the game so I downloaded and played every version of Pimp My Peon from Warcraft III to gather and combine ideas to create the new map.

What made you want to make games with the StarCraft II Editor?
I loved making maps for Warcraft III, but there were limitations to what you can do. When I learned about the capabilities of the StarCraft II Editor, I didn't think twice before jumping onboard. The Editor was just perfect for my "Pimp My Footman" and "Bio-Warfare" maps.

What was the inspiration for Pimp My Footman?
I really had fun playing “Pimp My Peon” from Warcraft III so why not make one for the StarCraft II community and share the fun?

How many people worked on this game and what roles did they have?
I usually make maps alone, but whenever I needed help, SC2Mapster.com was my first stop for tutorials and models.

How does the game work? What’s in store for a first time player?
You start with a Base with four Shield Generators that protect it.
Footmen will spawn from your base every few seconds and you can “pimp” them out with upgrades such as increased Damage, Health, Armor, and attack modifiers like Frost Attack, Stun, Critical Strike, Lifesteal, and more.

The game mechanics are simple and easy, especially if you are familiar with “Pimp My Peon” games. So why not give it a try? You may not win your first game but you can always come back to try out different upgrade combinations.

What should players who want to conquer the game do to reach that goal?
The game is really easy to learn and play, but hard to win. It's designed to be a fast-paced game. With the right timing and combinations for your opponent, you can surely conquer it.

Are there any tweaks coming to Pimp My Footman that the community can look forward to?
Other than new abilities, I'm hoping to optimize the game for even smoother gameplay.

What advice would you give to someone who was interested in using the SC2 editor to make their own game? Where is a good place for them to start the learning process?
For me, the best place to start is SC2Mapster's tutorials and map templates. Try to experiment with a few small projects. When you get stuck with one game, just move on to another until you feel like coming back. This will help prevent burnout or frustration. But always remember to save these projects as you’ll be surprised how useful they can become as references for future projects.

Do you have any plans for other games or future goals as a game designer?
I'm currently focusing on my new map "Bio-Warfare." It’s another fast paced top-down shooter game. I really think that you should give it a try.

What’s the best way people can follow you and your work (Twitter, Facebook, website, etc.)?
People should check out my website: www.pimpmyfootman.com.