Our team member BLU-82 did an interview with John Morello of the DOD development team about Day of Defeat Source.

Q. Since the first BETA back in February DoD: Source has changed a great deal. We have heard from the Steam news update that the entire content of DOD: Source has been reworked and updated. What were the main reasons behind this decision?
[John Morello II] The community had the largest hand in bringing about the new changes to DoD: Source. We had a plan to release it quickly with minimal changes, and when we showed people the progress, they let us know that they were expecting more. So we went back to the whiteboards and hacked DoD to pieces. In the process, the team quadrupled in size. No piece of the game went untouched.

Q. Do you feel you have achieved this, and do you think it was worth the extra time and effort?
[John Morello II] Absolutely. We had to make some tough choices, and cut some elements that have been around for quite some time. But in the end, DoD: Source is much better because of it. For example, for the first time in DoD history, we're on the cutting edge in the graphics department. It's a great feeling.

Q. Was this overhaul of the content purely to boost the graphics and detail, or have some of the classic gameplay mechanics been updated also?
[John Morello II] While the foundations of DoD gameplay are still there and long time players will immediately be familiar with the experience, the graphic polish, the gameplay tweaks, and updated arsenal make it feel like a brand new game.

Q. With the all new features and technologies that the Source engine has, what is your favorite aspect about using it? And what has it brought to DOD?
[John Morello II] I think the physics and now HDR really dial the immersion factor up to 11. When a rocket flies by your head and into the shop behind you, all sorts of home decor comes flying out the window. It's intense.

Q. What was the reason behind the decision to add HDR to DOD: Source? Also do you think HDR brings anything to the game-play itself or is it just simply cosmetic?
[John Morello II] Something we always keep in mind when creating features or technology here at Valve is will all of our products benefit from the investment. HDR was no different. It's one of those things that you get spoiled by very quickly. I remember a point where there was a bug and HDR wasn't working for that days' playtest, and immediately the world felt like it had lost something. It just wasn't as rich, and nearly everyone I spoke to after the test made a comment about it.

Q. With the new engine and all these changes to DOD: Source since the very first BETA, do you think the game-plays still comparable to 1.3?
[John Morello II] We always try and push DoD forward and evolve the experience. However, if we completely changed the gameplay, it just wouldn't be DoD anymore.

Q. One noticeable thing that was missing from the BETA back in February was the British. Have they been removed, or are they still in development?
[John Morello II] No Brit's in the initial version of DoD: Source.

Q. From the BETA we have established that there are 4 maps in production: Avalanche, Anzio, Donner and Flash. Will there be any others upon the games release, and are any other's being worked on?
[John Morello II] Those are the maps shipping with the initial version. More are in the works and will be released as soon as they're ready. As with anything released from Valve, chances are the game you buy today will be far more robust in six months, and then even more robust six months later.