Greetings!
Well, my friends, there’s so much going on around here these days that I don’t even know where to start. Please forgive me for my rambling in advance.
As a developer, having a 64-bit only game engine is amazing. As I type this, old man Kael is testing to see what a GalCiv game with a hundred or so AI players will play like.
Can you guys imagine that? A game where the galaxy is alive with hundreds of empires (not counting minor races)? That’s one of the benefits of GalCiv III.
The new crazy sized galaxies are really in contrast to the new super-tiny Arena sized maps that we’re working on for multiplayer and quick games. I’ve always wanted to be able to balance a game for both tiny and insane but in the days before Steam Early Access, that wasn’t really doable.
One of the new things we’re doing for GalCiv III to make the universe more interesting is we are developing an XML based diplomacy schema. This is important because we’ll want modders to be able to share their own diplomacy extensions of the game so that these amazing maps really do feel alive.
Making the galaxy alive
You can’t just make a really big map and call it a day. To make it believeable you need a really sophisticated AI combined with a helluva lot of content. “We laugh at your pitiful civilization, give us gold or we will destroy you!” would get pretty old after the 97th time. That’s why we need the diplomacy development language. We have to be able to hand it off to writers and modders to create a ton of interesting and unique potential scenarios that have specific and relevant results.
Interesting relations
A lot of the AI design has to do with the idea that you’re building a relationship with a particular race. As some people recall, GalCiv is NOT that game where everyone gangs up on the most powerful player automatically. The smart player builds long lasting friendships with other players.
The difference with GalCiv III is that instead of me hard coding this, this is being made extensible via XML. So players will be able to extend whatever I come up with.
Now, mind you, I don’t even start writing code on GalCiv III until October. That’s when the party will really start. Hehe.
The marketing people hate when I refer to something involving Elemental. That’s because every press article seems focus on the original Elemental:War of Magic (which did suck unfortunately). Elemental remains the most enjoyable programming experience I ever had. It’s a good reminder that you can’t mix up fun working on and fun playing.
Anyway, we just released an update to Legendary Heroes last month and we’re working on the next game in that fantasy universe. It’s going to be incredibly sweet. We’ve decided to embrace its single player style and really focus the game about you. So we have some real RPG-ish stuff coming.
Soren Johnson, designer of Civilization IV, has a new game in development called Offworld Trading Company. It won’t be out for awhile (Early Access next year). But it’s crazy addictive already. Multiplayer works too well. Think of it is MULE but designed for today and with a lot of bastard features. I won’t say who let the air our of Soren’s tires. I’m just saying that maybe he should let others win more often. That’s all I’m saying.
Yes. We are working on this. But don’t expect to hear much for a long time. We are aggressively hiring developers/artists for working on it in Maryland. Right now, we’re working on the prototype which is, not surprisingly, based on Star Control 2. The biggest areas open to changing are the land based parts (exploring a planet), some of the camera work for Melee and letting making the customization of your main ship be something much more open ended.
Our biggest, most ambitious project ever is not announced yet. It’ll likely be announced as CES 2015. This team is a combo of people who worked on Sins of a Solar Empire, Galactic Civilizations, Civilization V and LOTR: Battle for Middle Earth. It’ll require 64-bit and need Mantle/DirectX 12 to really shine. We haven’t even hinted about this game yet in any form so don’t bother to try to guess. It’s something completely new.
Stay tuned!
If they developed a multi-million dollar engine with photo realistic graphics and lifelike physics, dress up barbie would be their most ambitious project ever.
Ambitious needn't be about what kind of game they're doing at all. It could just be a TBS with a mobilization scale far beyond what GC3 will have.
My hope: Stardock partners with Lab Zero to make a new fighting game and keeps them in business
2nd hope: Spiritual Successor to Kohan with ex-Timegate devs under more competent management.
Most likely: would never happen, it's something I'm not expecting.
We need a proper fantasy RTS though. What did we last have that was decent? Warcraft 3:FT?
Frogboy was talking about making a game with similar visuals to what we saw in the lotr helm's deep fight. That's where my bet is. Dream would be a Shogun2-esque fantasy game that didn't suck like Arthur: the wargame.
I really like these updates. Keep'em coming
Some company are working on a Warhammer Fantasy Total War game!
I think they make Sci-fi RTS games simply because they have much more creative freedom. In a fantasy environment you're kinda limited but in a sci-fi environment you can go wild! Grey Goo is an upcoming Sci-fi RTS that may be good, made by Petroglyph (ex Westwood).
While the Warhammer IP used to only be given out with care, lately they have been giving it to anybody for anything, lot's of crap Warhammer licensed games out there lately. So wouldn't get my hopes up for that.
A slow paced/macro focussed RTS might work. RTS in general doesn't have a lot of games last years, and a fast/micro based RTS would have to compete with starcraft which is difficult. But then why new IP instead of sins 2?
Since I'm a Joe smoe and haven't heard a single game or company you named tells me that wouldn't be a really good investment.
Lab Zero is the bunch doing Skullgirls, bit of a niche market there.
Timegate on the other hand is the now defunct studio that pioneered one of those rare unique games that did something new. Kohan is slick, real slick.
It's an original fantasy setting, and a beautifully streamlined 4X RTS that plays so nicely that die hard TBS players like the game.
Even with you elaborating I still haven't heard of any of them. Sorry I live in a different era.
My guess for the secret project. https://forums.elementalgame.com/440090/page/1/
I remember that thread, hard to believe it was a year and a half ago. Looks like stardock is going to pioneer that area soon.
I want a slow-paced, macro-oriented RTS like Kohan.
I think the Elemental world could really work as an RTS, the units are in place already. It might actually work better that way than as a TBS when I've thought about it. You'd have to strip down some things, but most of what's in the game already would translate.
Kohan is a long-forgotten name except among diehards. Much of that is Timegate was a one-hit wonder, their successor games weren't very popular.
As for Lab Zero, they made Skullgirls. Really artistic game with really friendly staff that suffered more misfortune in one game business than Brad has suffered in his whole career, yet still are surviving.
I'll go with that. Its been about two years and the game is still secret so it makes sense. And SD is always one up on graphics and creativity.
DARCA
Kohan is really worth a short trip back in time. Just sayin'.
Actually, Battle For Middle Earth would be the last decent fantasy RTS.
Creative Assembly has the rights to make a Warhammer Fantasy game, and yes they are the one's behind Total War
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