8km-long space cathedrals to shoot one another in space in a computer game.
Initial races will be Imperium, Orks, Eldar and Chaos, to be released by Focus Interactive in 2015 or 2016.
The game will feature the battle for the Gothic system. The Imperium will be defending against Ork, Chaos and Eldar invaders. The game will use a turn-based strategy mode where ships and fleets are built and deployed and a real-time combat mode where fighting takes place.
Captains and crew will have their own AI and grow and become more skilled, and ships can be upgraded. This will lead to situations where fleet commanders may choose to save ship crews (with escape pods) to fight another day and sacrifice the ship instead. On the other hand, badly-treated captains and crews may rebel or mutiny.
Captured/conquered planets in the system can also be cleansed through an exterminatus if necessary.
Sounds pretty promising at the moment.
Is it for PC, consoles, or both?
Looks like PC...
Normally I'd go gaga in excitement over a game like this, but my excitement has been curbed on reading some more information on Tindalos Interactive.
Hopefully it doesn't have foolish copy protection (was it DoW II that came out with you have to be connected to the internet all the time when it was first released? Later to be patched to something more reasonable...or am I thinking of a different but similar game).
Stellar Impact appears to be one of those online only deals (free from what I can see) which is what they are claiming as their experience making rts games.
Leads me to think the copy protection isn't what we'll have to worry about as it may be online only anyways (which is...basically...copy protection for these types of games).
I'll curb my excitement for right now, until we find out if it's an online only game, or if you can actually play it offline, and then how good or bad it is.
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The more I hear about the game, the better it sounds.
The one thing that seems potentially bad is the plot of the game. So far in every WH40K video game we had, there was exactly one allowed plot - space marines fight orc incursions. As they do they discover Eldar working in the system and the two races start shooting at each other immediately. Eventually it is discovered that the orcs are goaded into attack by a secret foe - the forces of chaos. And the Eldar were there to fight off the forces of chaos.
Honestly, this formula is getting old and tired. Why can't we see some of the other races of the universe? there are, like, a dozen, right?
Stellar Impact appears to be one of those online only deals (free from what I can see) which is what they are claiming as their experience making rts games.
I believe Stellar Impact is a versus game only, no single player. Hence the online only, cause the game is only designed for multiplayer.
Last I checked it wasn't free (maybe $10 or 15), but the remaining player base is tiny.
Leads me to think the copy protection isn't what we'll have to worry about as it may be online only anyways (which is...basically...copy protection for these types of games).
The game will certainly have a singleplayer campaign. It's a TOTAL WAR-style affair with a turn-based campaign before shifting into a real-time battle mode.
Always online or not will be a different debate. Focus are usually not hugely restrictive on that, so I see no reason why it won't be playable in offline mode.
Honestly, this formula is getting old and tired. Why can't we see some of the other races of the universe? there are, like, a dozen, right?
Indeed, but I gather from sales of games based on the other races (particularly FIRE WARRIOR, which was Tau-focused) that the Imperium, Chaos, Eldar and Orks are the most reliably bankable. In addition, the game appears to be retelling the story of the 12th Black Crusade, aka the Gothic War, in which the Imperium and the forces of Chaos were in direct conflict with the Eldar and Orks getting involved on the fringes, so they are limited there by the source material.
Well, they did have the Imperial Guard in Winter Assault, and then the TAU and Necrons in Dark Crusade.
Of course I don't remember the storylines to either, I seem to recall Dark Crusade was just conquering the globe or something like that.
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Well, they did have the Imperial Guard in Winter Assault, and then the TAU and Necrons in Dark Crusade.
Of course I don't remember the storylines to either, I seem to recall Dark Crusade was just conquering the globe or something like that.
Yeah, Dark Crusade didn't really have a plot, just a map that you moved your forces on to fight pseudo-random campaign levels. It was certainly an interesting mechanic, but it wasn't much for story.
Both Winter Assault and the Dawn of War 2 expansion that introduced the imperial soldiers as a playable faction had plots that somewhat diviated from the formula. And Dawn of War 2 had Tyranids instead of Chaos, I suppose.
Meh. Imperials as sole playable faction in single player? Why can't we have campaign for Tau or Necrons and show those arrogant Terran monkeys that they are blind alley of evolution of sapient beings...
The Gothic War should be a fun enough story to play through, I still have fond memories of it on table-top, like that time I shot my Nova Cannon up the Planet Killer's bum.
*sigh* The good ol' days.
Not much, but it's nice to see the ships just flying through space. Their definition of the Warp is a bit too standard-FTL-glowy though.