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Multimedia => The Wookiee Arcade => Topic started by: Jesse James on January 3, 2005, 07:50 PM

Title: Star Wars: Empire At War
Post by: Jesse James on January 3, 2005, 07:50 PM
A new classic trilogy era RTS is on the way according to reports...  News has been out a little bit now, but the first article on it is coming from Europe I guess.

Not much to say for now other than it seems to include fleet battles as well as ground combat, and the TIE Crawler's making an appearance for the first time.

While I welcome a new RTS with open arms, the idea makes me curious if it will actually be any good. 

Force Commander's a legitimately SOLID game that was built from the ground up by Lucasarts, rather than a knock-off game of a "popular" RTS game that was outdated by the time they basically did a Star Wars version of it.  Battlegrounds had support from casual gamers, but I don't think the game ever appealed to anyone who played RTS's often.

Force Commander's difficult interface ended up being its major downfall then, and we were left without a RTS that appealed to everyone.

If this game doesn't have:

A) Good gameplay
B ) Good interface/controls
C) Good storyline
D) Excellent graphics
E) Epic scale (IE: Lots and LOTS of units on a big map)
F) Scaled playing units (IE: An AT-AT isn't as big as an AT-ST on the field)
G) 3-D gameplay, units, maps, etc.
H) And a continuation of ground units ESTABLISHED in both previous games and EU, as well as the films.

Well then this game isn't going to be a great success.  LA's gotta get their crap together with this.  Force Commander was close to a home run.  Galactic Battlegrounds was nothing more than a mod to an existing ANCIENT gaming engine (It's like playing Doom with Star Wars characters...  It's nothing original whatsoever).

LA better nail this one...  3rd time has to be the charm or RTS is just something they'll never get right, or even try to again I think.

And then they better get off their asses and make a new flight sim, because the X-Wing/TIE Fighter series...  arguably the most profitable series for Lucasarts ever...  Has faded.  Make a new game already...  Finish the damn story for the Azzameen's already...  Move on into the post ROTJ era already...  Just do something!
Title: Re: Star Wars Strategy Game Coming
Post by: Jesse James on January 10, 2005, 01:59 AM
And the front page now has more information on this game with links to a magazine article soon to be on shelves.

Interesting if true...  I truly dislike seeing this game's developers take it upon themselves to "rewrite" EU as they see fit though.  EU's supposed to at least TRY to work together, and they're simply scrapping past RTS designs it appears.

The TIE Crawler looks NOTHING like the craft that appears in numerous EU writings as well.  This is a design as old as EU itself since it came from the old West End Games books, and the game's developers seem to have felt that they could redesign the vehicle as they saw fit.  Not a good move IMO.

Hope the game is as good as they boast, otherwise we'll see more the same opinion about Star Wars RTS gaming.  It's not been good over the years, so let's hope that doesn't happen.
Title: Re: Star Wars Strategy Game Coming
Post by: Vator on January 10, 2005, 11:50 AM
It could be a varient of the TIE Crawler? Yeah, I got nothing.
Title: Re: Star Wars Strategy Game Coming
Post by: Jesse James on January 10, 2005, 12:29 PM
Eh, yeah, but I just hate when they do dumb **** like that.  Take the old design, use it, and just bedone with it.  I'd say they felt it wasn't logically laid out, which I can't say I disagree with, but respect those who "created" it, ya know? 

And the Alliance tanks look to NOT be the Force Commander/G Battlegrounds tanks, which were perfectly designed and quite "Star Wars-ish" I thought.  Again I think they're taking themselves too seriously with bashing the old RTS games and trying to distance themselves from it.

The irony is they took the EU design of the AT-AT barge that Force Commander actually created, and that the ICS books adapted for their own use.  I think they didn't realize that FC came up with that design. :)
Title: Re: Star Wars Strategy Game Coming
Post by: Jesse James on January 18, 2005, 07:50 AM
Another article...

There appears to be a COMPLETELY new tank of some sort too, which I can bite on but I still dislike them NOT running with the Force Commander tank designs.  Those 2 Rebel tanks were perfect...  All the Rebel tanks were perfect really.  Stick in those ones from the original Rogue Squadron game then,a nd you've got one hell of a diverse armor unit line-up for the Alliance.

I don't even see anything in the screenies for the Empire other than the TIE Crawler I can't stand and the AT-AT and AT-ST.

I see no troop transports, no AT-PT's which have become BIGTIME EU vehicles in a lot of games, etc., etc...

I just wonder if this game's gonna dumb stuff down and try rewriting EU which I can't stand.  I mean, if you're gonna be par tof EU at least try to keep it right and show you get off your ass and research things, but I dunno they're gonna.

I'm happy to get a new RTS, and in the classic era at that (great news), and one that incorporates multiple planet management ala rebellion to an extent, is 3-D terrain and all, is keeping scale relatively well (at least on the groudn missions), but in the end I'm irked at the creators simply disregarding all previous established EU.  That just seems arrogant to me.

It's like trying to rewrite the films (unless you wrote them in the first place) to suit you rather than you conforming to suit the films.
Title: Re: Star Wars Strategy Game Coming
Post by: Matt_Fury on April 4, 2005, 12:32 PM
One thing I do like about this game is that it looks like we'll be able to control large cale space battles.

Good graphics (like FC had), an intuitive control set-up, andnot have the crappy "Command Point" system and the ability to overwelm your enemy, and I think we'll have a winner here.
Title: Re: Star Wars Strategy Game Coming
Post by: Violentfix on April 25, 2005, 04:46 PM
You know, no offense to present company or anyone in the real world for that matter, but I'm really sick of them making games only for PC and then maybe if the games a hit giving it a Mac version a year or two down the road.

Now that I've said that.


I don't think we should be really bickering over the designs of these vehicles, this is a period game and it's supposed to take place in the beginning of the Galactic civil war, I'm open to the idea that a vehicle might look a little different at one time or another.  I was upset when I first saw the game because they were saying that this will bridge the gap between the Emperors rise to power and the Episode IV, so are they saying that as soon as Episode three ended AT-AT's just suddenly appeared in the Imperial arsenal?  I didn't hear any meantion of a technology system in the game either.  Maybe I'm just jumping to conclusions.

Title: Re: Star Wars Strategy Game Coming
Post by: Jesse James on April 25, 2005, 05:33 PM
I think it's not so much that the design of the TIE Crawler is bad, but that a design existed...  For EU's sake, use it and don't insist on creating that other "corridor" of vehicle in the EU just for the sake of wanting to make it your own...  To me that's the problem with EU as a whole, it's just an instance to point out in the game specifically...  The EU establishes something early, but yet others who work on a project within it insist on doing "their own thing" rather than working with what's previously established for some better cohesion.  Had I seen a WEG styled Crawler, I'd have been excited rather than thinking it's just another page/dispute in the EU as a whole...

As far as AT-AT's go, EU's claiming they were in the Clone Wars, just a slightly different design...  from what I recall anyway.  I know I saw them in some of the holo-report things in the FC mag, and some other things.  It's design is actually the final conceptual sketches of the AT-AT before the production look was finalized.  Very close to it, just slight differences...  more boxy.  Guess that's AT-AT1.0 and ESB one is AT-AT2.0 or whatever.

And the TE's been carried over then into the Classic era EU as still being in service in multiple roles...  Whatever.  Not that I wish anyone's imagination to be stimied at all, but Lucas sure does open that door and basically say "well, as long as you don't cross me personally, I don't care what you do...  pink bunnies and Fett back to life!  Let's make some $$$ guys!"  :)
Title: Re: Star Wars Strategy Game Coming
Post by: Violentfix on April 26, 2005, 12:19 PM
rather than thinking it's just another page/dispute in the EU as a whole...

As far as AT-AT's go, EU's claiming they were in the Clone Wars, just a slightly different design...  from what I recall anyway.  I know I saw them in some of the holo-report things in the FC mag, and some other things.  It's design is actually the final conceptual sketches of the AT-AT before the production look was finalized.  Very close to it, just slight differences...  more boxy.  Guess that's AT-AT1.0 and ESB one is AT-AT2.0 or whatever.

I have to kind of eat my words on this one.  I just realized that At-Ats made their first appearence in the Dark Horse "Star Wars"  Clone Wars comics, around issue 54.  Sorry
Title: Re: Star Wars Strategy Game Coming
Post by: Herbert_Ackermans on May 30, 2005, 07:48 AM
rather than thinking it's just another page/dispute in the EU as a whole...

As far as AT-AT's go, EU's claiming they were in the Clone Wars, just a slightly different design...  from what I recall anyway.  I know I saw them in some of the holo-report things in the FC mag, and some other things.  It's design is actually the final conceptual sketches of the AT-AT before the production look was finalized.  Very close to it, just slight differences...  more boxy.  Guess that's AT-AT1.0 and ESB one is AT-AT2.0 or whatever.

I have to kind of eat my words on this one.  I just realized that At-Ats made their first appearence in the Dark Horse "Star Wars"  Clone Wars comics, around issue 54.  Sorry

I'm pretty sure their first appearance was in a movie called "The Empire Strikes Back". ;D

But if you mean first appearance in SW-history, than... yeah.
Title: Re: Star Wars Strategy Game Coming
Post by: dafoo on July 3, 2005, 04:40 PM
Oh I'd love a combination of Rebellion and Force commander, with the improvements.

Rebellion was great having 'tactics' for the space battles would be neat, but I'm not sure how they'd go about that.

Force Commander stunk do to the interface, it is difficult to play and the 3D camera movement can be a pain
Title: Re: Star Wars Strategy Game Coming
Post by: Jesse James on July 17, 2005, 01:17 AM
Empire At War is on pre-order at Lucasarts already.  You get a spiffy mousepad I think if you pre-order...  Yay.

(http://store.lucasarts.com/kernel/imageload?table=cat_images;ttl2=15;key1=103968_f;key2=-100_f)

Linky Right Here (http://store.lucasarts.com/catalog/product.xml?product_id=103968&?rid=LECEEW)

The game does look promising...  I'm not sure (after reading some stuff in Game Informer) that this game won't be without flaw though...  To simplify the game (and taking away from realism, subsequently), the fighter and capital ship combat are on different "planes".  I dunno how this plays out really, but I think it's so things aren't so hectic and confusing, yet the fighters and capital ships still interact...  Whatever.

I still hate the look of the tanks.  There seems to only be two types in screenshots, an Imperial TIE Crawler which I've already mentioned why I don't like it (doesn't resemble any currently existing designs of the TIE Crawler), and the Rebel tank which looks awkward and somehow incredibly inefficient.

The tanks don't look like the other pre-established armor in Star Wars...  The angles, the lines...  They're just not there.  So to me they look designed for another genre...

Beyond that, it looks like you can maybe field a LOT of units, and that's a plus.  I think SW games need that huge scale.  Force Commander lacked that with only 60 units on the field for each side...  It looked like **** trying to field infantry really because you couldn't get a big swarm of guys since each dude counted for an individual unit.  I think EaW has infantry in squads or platoons that deplete as they take damage maybe?  Just a guess there, but it's how infantry and people and stuff are formed in games like ME:TW.

Anycrap, there you go...  The game's not due out till next year, like Feb.  Holy moly!  :-\
Title: Re: Star Wars Strategy Game Coming
Post by: dafoo on July 18, 2005, 02:18 AM
I have high hopes, will they be dashed? lol

I loved rebelllions space battles, I play that game all the time

having a mess of fighters kill a Star Destroyer is just spiffy
Title: Re: Star Wars Strategy Game Coming
Post by: dafoo on July 18, 2005, 02:21 AM
3D RTS.  You don't NEED 3D, it over complicates play when you have so many camera moves you have to contend with.
Title: Re: Star Wars Strategy Game Coming
Post by: Jesse James on July 18, 2005, 04:29 AM
I'm sorry, but when games have advanced BEYOND the engine used for the Galactic Battlegrounds games, and advanced beyond them significantly and effectively to deliver a popular 3-D RTS gaming experience, I just can't agree that you don't need 3-D gaming.

It enhances realism, it creates an atmosphere where strategy is a necessity, not simple plotting and movement.  You simply can't game 2-D with any "realistic" need for strategy.  It changes the dynamics completely.

I can't play a game like Medeival Total War, or Rome Total War, or even Force Commander, and go back to enjoying 2-D RTS gaming.  There's no challenge really.

I blew through Galactic Battlegrounds in like a week without even trying hard...  Not to mention the monotinous repetitive feel 2-D RTS gaming gives off with little reason to replay.  Blah.  Not a fan of that at all.
Title: Re: Star Wars Strategy Game Coming
Post by: Matt_Fury on July 18, 2005, 05:38 PM
Beyond that, it looks like you can maybe field a LOT of units, and that's a plus.  I think SW games need that huge scale.  Force Commander lacked that with only 60 units on the field for each side...  It looked like **** trying to field infantry really because you couldn't get a big swarm of guys since each dude counted for an individual unit.  I think EaW has infantry in squads or platoons that deplete as they take damage maybe?  Just a guess there, but it's how infantry and people and stuff are formed in games like ME:TW.

Holy crap....Jesse James said something negative about Force Commander!  :o

I'm looking forward to another 3-D RTS.  It will make the game a lot more realistic.  Although FPS games are still my favorite.  Especially when they add the non-linear aspects like Deus Ex did.
Title: Re: Star Wars Strategy Game Coming
Post by: Jesse James on July 19, 2005, 02:35 AM
Hey, now to be fair I've always pointed out FC's flaws...

I just don't think citing an interface that's hard to learn is a major flaw.  Not if it's learnable so you can beat the game. :)

Unit totals on the field though always sucked...  But that's also a limitation to gaming of the age.  Not too long ago it wasn't possible to have 30+ people play online together in any game save a MMORPG.  FC was just limited partly due to that, but some poor planning on making infantry each an individual unit didn't help. 

Especially when you've gotta arm towers and structures with infantry...  That blows (more for the rebels too, who required someone in the turret) because your'e basically wasting units to just occupy crud.

Force Commander has flaws, but it was still a vastly superior game than what it's given credit for.  I've found it was more casual RTS gamers who disliked it.  For a 3-D game in a time when 3-D RTS gaming was in its infancy though, it made a lotta strides that other games failed to do.  Battlegrounds is still lame in comparison.  ;D
Title: Re: Star Wars Strategy Game Coming
Post by: dafoo on July 19, 2005, 02:52 AM
I have Force Commander, that's what brought up my comments on the 3D stuff

FC runs slow, has that crazy unit limitation, and the 3D camera moves aren't effectively set up. I didn't like the camera stuff so much that I stopped playing the game.

IF they have improved camera control I'd reconsider it, but for now I'm not paying full price...
Title: Re: Star Wars Strategy Game Coming
Post by: Jesse James on July 19, 2005, 03:18 AM
How fast or slow the game plays is your system, not the game...  Granted, at the time FC came out it pushed even fast machines, but that's what you have when gaming expands beyond what average PC's can handle...  I had gotten a top-of-the-line graphics card at the time so my system handled the game with it only getting choppy every whipstitch.  Can't blame the game there though.

The camera's tough to control, but that doesn't necessarilly mean the controls are bad.  They just need to be learned.  It's not 2-D gaming so a camera that rotates and pivots for a 3-D environment is a necessity.  Realism dictates new controls...  Tough to get used to, but effective, which is the ultimate goal...  The controls worked.

I'd cite AI being a worse issue than the controls myself...  enemies aren't overly bright, even for that era of gaming.  On a completely new engine, they really could've enhanced that level of the game but chose not to.  It made it too easy at times.

On the issue of the units, that sucked without a doubt, but like I said, at the time 60 units per side wasn't bad really...  So I can't see it as a real fault against FC relatively speaking.  It'll just be nice to (assuming it is different) have more units fielded during ground combat in EaW.  Obviously it should though considering Force Commander's how old now? 

60 individual units was pretty spiffy at that time FC came out though...  Infantry was THE only flaw with a 60 unit limit though, like I mentioned.  If each soldier counts as a unit, that sucks.  Especially when you had to have infantry just to man/occupy structures for protection.  In newer 3-D RTS games units are limited based on average PC capabilities of the times the game is developed, so 100's of thousands of units won't be fielded in EaW either...  It'll be limited.  I just think they'll improve how you field infantry though.  Instead of a single soldier, soldiers will be fielded by squad or platoon, and you'll see all those troops on the field, but as the "squad" takes damage you'll see guys drop like flies and the unit becomes less effective.

IE: a tank = 1 unit, a squad of a dozen troops = 1 unit...  Force Commander wasn't developed with that kind of thinking in mind though since it hadn't really ever been thought of.  ME:TW and R:TW are games that really established that concept to make gaming more realistic though, and it worked great.
Title: Re: Star Wars Strategy Game Coming
Post by: dafoo on July 19, 2005, 10:02 PM
Exactly, FC came out demanding top of the line to play it.  Thus it ran slow and was jerky.  That was poor planning on LucasArts' part.

I'm not buying super expensive computer stuff just over a game.  The controls worked poorly and ackwardly.  No trouble learning them, just using them was a pain, again poorly planned out.
Title: Re: Star Wars Strategy Game Coming
Post by: Jesse James on July 20, 2005, 12:37 AM
The controls worked fine, they were awkward...  To say they worked poorly isn't fair though.  They worked AOK.  Controling a 3-D environment isn't easy though...  But once mastery of the mouse controls, and also master of the keyboard is in place, it's a snap...  But it's constant as well.  Short of lulls after or prior to battles, it's really a constant thing...  A juggling act.  That's added excitement to a genre that's plagued with a sort of "routine" though.  I applaud the game for that.

You SHOULD have to master a complex series of controls to be good at the game...  Once you're good at it, it's a breeze to use though really.  The controls work though...  Awkward or not, they worked well for the game's engine.

Also, I don't know a single PC game that doesn't demand "the best", or a generally higher performance machine, when it's new.  Compare any FPS when it came out to the average PC's of the era, and average tends NOT to cut the mustard for quality gaming.

For instance, I know I played Jedi Knight on a non-3D accellerated machine when the game came out and I dealt with it...  JK's not nearly the same game with a 3D card as it is without.  Night and day really, but at the time 3D Accelleration wasn't something built into PC's so mine didn't have it.

Force Commander was the same way, so it's really no worse than most any other game on PC when they're new...  JK's a great game, one of the best, but I can't say I didn't care for the game because mY PC didn't play it well at t he time...  It was a graphic-intense game and my PC had to wait for an upgrade before I enjoyed every feature it had.

That's not a fault in the game though, but the platform...  If you're not into buying the latest and greatest, then PC gaming isn't a great route to go.  Consoles are probably more ideal since they're basically a dream for Game Developers to adapt for some years to only a specific format (or 2 or 3) rather than the balances required for PC game development.

And subsequently, that's why 99% of the time a PC game with console ports plays better on PC's (those set up for gaming anyway)...  And why ports from console TO PC (less common, but they happen, like HALO 1) usually suck pretty hard.  :-\
Title: Re: Star Wars Strategy Game Coming
Post by: Dressel Rebel on July 25, 2005, 09:08 PM
(http://rds.yahoo.com/S=96062883/K=empire+at+war+star+wars/v=2/SID=e/TID=I999_73/l=IVI/SIG=133cik8lt/EXP=1122426311/*-http%3A//www.weblogsinc.com/common/images/4744175752806153.JPG?0.9780553911646213)

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Title: Re: Star Wars Strategy Game Coming
Post by: Dressel Rebel on July 25, 2005, 09:12 PM
(http://rds.yahoo.com/S=96062883/K=empire+at+war+star+wars/v=2/SID=e/TID=I999_73/l=IVI/SIG=1332k666c/EXP=1122426429/*-http%3A//www.weblogsinc.com/common/images/8672457467955546.JPG?0.8199382996973962)

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Title: Re: Star Wars Strategy Game Coming
Post by: Dressel Rebel on July 25, 2005, 09:13 PM
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Title: Re: Star Wars Strategy Game Coming
Post by: Dressel Rebel on July 25, 2005, 09:17 PM
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Title: Re: Star Wars Strategy Game Coming
Post by: dafoo on July 25, 2005, 09:21 PM
That looks great, I hope they keep the Rebellion style resource set up too.
Title: Re: Star Wars Strategy Game Coming
Post by: Matt_Fury on July 28, 2005, 09:50 PM
Have any of you seen the trailer yet?

If not you can check it out here (http://www.lucasarts.com/games/swempireatwar/indexFlash.html#Gallery.Trailers).
Title: Re: Star Wars Strategy Game Coming
Post by: Jesse James on July 29, 2005, 03:29 AM
Yeah I caught that Matt...  I love the Rancor eating someone in the middle of the battle.  Something humorous about that to me.

Sounded like groups of infantry actually kinda use a rebel yell or battle scream going into combat.  I hope that's the case, but subtle, as it's a nice touch.

Saw lots of other vehicles...  A mobile artillery rebel tank of some sort among others...  Some of the designs are a little cartoony looking, but the new Rebel tank that's been in every screenshot with Rebels in it so far has grown on me (it's noticeably different I think than early shots).  The trailer played all grainy on my PC...  I guess upgrade time's around the corner.   ::)
Title: Re: Star Wars Strategy Game Coming
Post by: Diddly on July 29, 2005, 01:38 PM
This game looks incredible. Like Empire Earth, but with Star Wars. And wow, those graphics!  :o

I'm still wondering though, will you have to make civilians to gather resources for you to build the machines? You have to do that in Empire Earth, and it would make the game a bit more realistic, IMO.
Title: Re: Star Wars Strategy Game Coming
Post by: Jesse James on July 29, 2005, 05:54 PM
I'm thinking not from what I've read but that's all jumbled together in my mind right now...

If I'm correct though, I think there's certain resources are good for different things on different planets...  It's not so much a game about resource gathering as much as it is about conquest though...  I think.  There's a lot of stuff about this in gaming rags over the last few months since it has been released.  I've read a lot of it and still can't figure out how they're going to make the final game play out.

It does look good...  I thought it looked like space-age Medeival: Total War! or something. :)  That's pretty great if it's the case.
Title: Re: Star Wars Strategy Game Coming
Post by: Dressel Rebel on July 29, 2005, 08:24 PM
Absolutely amazing trailer...

My favorite part is when the stormies are fighting and a bunch of Y-Wings fly overhead and carpet bomb the hell out of them, bodies, armor pieces, and helmets go flying all over the place.

Galactic Battlegrounds is pretty fun, this one looks better.
Title: Re: Star Wars Strategy Game Coming
Post by: Jesse James on July 30, 2005, 01:33 AM
Indeed DR, it looks to be a bit graphic which suits me fine.  Star Wars can be too squeaky clean at times.  The movies skirt the line at times, but often times EU's just not visually intense.  This stuff looks good though.
Title: Re: Star Wars Strategy Game Coming
Post by: dafoo on July 30, 2005, 11:17 PM
I can't really see a Star Wars game where you have peon/minions that go and collect resources.  It just doesn't fit in my mind.

It could be like FC with the points system or like Rebellion where you build mines and refineries and then the resources trickle in. 

I'm more used to the Rebellion set up, I started playing it again.  In case you were wondering, it is still fun.  (I blew up two whole star systems, and yet more didn't slip through my fingers *manical cackling*)
Title: Re: Star Wars Strategy Game Coming
Post by: Matt_Fury on July 31, 2005, 09:39 AM
The graphics on this game do look really tight.  I really hope they don't go with that command point system that FC had.  Or if they do, they need to make it a LOT better.

I like the idea of building factories to get resources though....although that would be tough in some of the space battles.
Title: Re: Star Wars Strategy Game Coming
Post by: Jesse James on July 31, 2005, 11:30 AM
I'm not a huge fan of gathering resources...  I'm not sure how they could improve on the Force Commander Point system either though.  I thought it was really perfect...  At least for combat.

I can see resource gather's place, but in galactic-scaled combat like this it is really almost trivial...  It's something that you shouldn't have to manage really,a nd it should just be assumed more than a facet of the game.  It makes more sense in games like Lords of the Realm where each county/shire's production was the means by which the county grew, survived, and defended itself...  But in Lords the control and care of the people was important...  In Star Wars gaming thepeople are too vast in number to be a micro-feature of the game, and they're more a macro thing where they're assumed taken care of.

Harvesting resources then becomes sort of silly...  At least controlling it in any real fashion...  It should be a more natural exercise that just comes with control of a planet or system...  I'd simply adapt the Force Commander point structure to the galactic conquest theme.  It's perfect.  The only thing I'd change is to make it so you can never get too much momentum going where you just become a steamroller and are unstoppable.  Not much fun in that.
Title: Re: Star Wars Strategy Game Coming
Post by: Matt_Fury on July 31, 2005, 05:21 PM
Ahh but Jesse...the steamroller concept is what every general tries to achieve!

I was reading through some of the news for the game and they do talk about the ability to make factories, so it looks like you're going to have the ability to at least manufacture your units during the battle.  So I think there will be some sort of resource building.

I wouldn't mind the Command Point system as long as there's no cap to the amount that you get.  That would happen in FC unless you incorporated a cheat.  If they go with a command point system, I think you should accrue them by the amount of troops you have in the field, or controlling certain points on the map.  FC tried to do this, but you I never saw my CP rise faster compared to the different points on the map I controlled, and then there was that cap.

One other item I read on the site is that your success or failure on any level will have an affect on how well you do on subsequent levels.  This is why I wouldn't want a cap on CP or another reason why I would want some sort of resource building.

Who knows...they may come up with some wierd thing we've never heard of before!
Title: Re: Star Wars Strategy Game Coming
Post by: Jesse James on July 31, 2005, 05:48 PM
I thought I read something about the resources being well integrated at least...  So that'll be good if it's teh case.  Like if yout ook a planet known for ores/mining, you have that for better ship production...

I like the concept of being hated by who you "control" too...  But I don't want to see too much interaction with the civilian population unless it's them acting to support or revolt against who it is controlling them.  Like I said, that's cool in a Civilization or Lords of the Realm, but when you get to Star Wars things become so vast that micro-management of civilians and their happiness becomes redundant and annoying.

I thing building strong militaries is cool, but I still don't want there to be any real way (or at least it's incredibly difficult) to become just a giant military juggernaught that's unstoppable.  Games just aren't fun if youhave no challenge from your opponent.  That was a problem with Force Commander and almost every RTS up till the "Total War" series (and even then, there was always a point in TW where you knew your winning was inevitable).  Force Commander though, it came way too early...  It was fun at the time, but it's noticeable in every strategy game so I hope they're trying to curb that... 

I will say, I always still liked mowing down my opponent even when I was unstoppable.  FC tried to curb that by making you want to conserve forces (as much as possible) toc arry over to the next mission.  That was a good idea often unrecognized (And something that EAW seemst o have incorporated in their game).  You could build troops from a weak rookie level to an advanced military if they could survive...  I liked that aspect, especially when you played as the Rebels in FC where unit conservation became kind of important since you were often limited.
Title: Re: Star Wars Strategy Game Coming
Post by: Jesse James on November 2, 2005, 06:14 AM
I've changed the title here but also, there's a new trailer up at the Empire At War site as well as there being a trialer on the Episode III DVD for your viewing pleasure.

The game's really shaping up nicely.  I like the ground units that aren't Force Commander units now and that's a major plus for me.  I've taken it in stride as just expansion of what the Alliance has and uses rather than replacement, but I believe they did incorporate some elements of FC so that's cool.

I'm still thoroughly disappointed in the TIE Crawler irregardless of "excuse".  I'll accept it, but to me the TIE/C in West End Games books was and always shall be the true TIE/C.  :)  Just a great and more traditional design.

The unit management on the field looks fantastic.  I'm fearful though of how that space combat is gonna play out.  That could be a MAJOR bitch to control, especially if at the same time you've got tons of other stuff going on...  It could be a really complex game to master, and it's breaking some new ground for this genre so it'll be interesting. 

The unit designs look great, and it plays out the galactic Civil War like I like it too...  Big huge battles, the Alliance AREN'T a bunch of pussies but an army/military just as organized and threatening to the Empire as the CIS is to the Republic...  They just are against a much more militaristic society that has total control and a mightier military that can be focused anywhere at any time. 

The fact it's pre-ANH but there's multiple fighter types, the Mon Cal, etc...  That's good news.  I hope they incorporate maybe the A-Wing early as it has been established and not that BS "post-ANH" crap.  Same for Interceptors if they're making the space combat diverse in unit types.  I'm thinking they won't though because the Fighters and Bombers seem like the standards.

I'm not sure how I'm taking that 3rd element of beasts on the field...  I mean if it's a rancor on Dathomir I can see it...  Or a Nexu on the Gran's planet or whatnot...  But like if it's a Rancor on Alderaan that'd be just dumb.  I dunno.

I'm a little concerned about a lack of linear story following Star Wars too.  It could kill it somewhat for me if it changes the story totall, I don't know.  Have to see how this plays out, just voicing some early thoughts...  The trailer blows you away though, go look at it.  The visuals of ships blowing up...  The Destroyer iwth a HUGE ass chunk of its starbord side blown out and decks exposed...  That's spooky, hardcore military stuff.  The screaming as troops run into battle just adds to it too, and makes you think of old-style military charges, or the D-Day landings...  Amazing.  Go Watch NOW!
Title: Re: Star Wars: Empire At War (Coming Soon)
Post by: Jesse James on November 29, 2005, 06:45 AM
OK, so I changed the thread title because just generic "Strategy Game" was bugging the piss out of me.

But in news, the game's official site was unveiled the other day for Empire At War, and holy schnikeys it rocks.

The little videos to see what troops or other aspects of the game do/interact is really neat.  The weather effects look like they'll add a unique dynamic to the game among other details.

I'm sorta so-so on things like a Rancor just popping up anywhere and I really wish they'd relegate things like that to their native planets.  IE: the Rancor only appears if you're on Dathomir duking it out.  It showing on Tatooine is sorta ass backwards to me and takes away from the game's "realism".  Granted Jabba has one and all, but I doubt it'd be running loose on Tatooine.

For that matter, I'd be ok with never seeing Tatooine in-game since as a planet its "importance" and supposed rebel activity on it doesn't take place till post-ANH but that's a whole other rant.

The TIE Crawler is not a TIE Crawler and that's cool.  It's a much smaller model basically, and a replacement for the AT-PT which appears to be omitted from the game.  That is a 50/50 split to me as I feel the AT-PT is superior in design and has become an established walker in EU materials during the war...  The Crawler is actually a TIE Marauder which is a cool name and the vehicle is basically a fast anti-personnel weapon that's easily destroyed even by a nice sized infantry group.

I'm perplexed on what a "PLEX Trooper" is for the Alliance...  They look like heavy weapons troopers more or less judging by the video but I'm wondering what PLEX means more than anything.  There seemed to be two types too.  Would they be specialists?  What?  Weird.

I'm pleased to see the AT-AA appears to be making a resurgence and vehicles like the AT-ST appear to be holding up well as core walkers.  There's a ton of other new vehicle names too that really have me intrigued.

I'm slightly disappointed at the same time to see that they didn't carry over the Rebel Tank designs from Force Commander which were 100% perfect IMO and fit in squeaky clean into Star Wars.  They have a hover tank (lighter model) and a heavy tracked tank, so why design NEW tanks and not just adjust the FC tanks to this game, ya know?  At the same time it's cool to give some diversity to the SW EU, as it's not like the ALliance couldn't have a wide variety of tanks at their disposal and you just don't have their use in this game...  I can believe that, so that's not the point, it's more that the game's designers are just trying too hard to rewrite history in their image which always strikes me as a stupid aspect to EU stuff anyway but I digress.  I'm sure I'll accept the new tanks as part of my EU world just like I accepted the ones in Rogue Squadron and all the tanks in Force Commander. 

Stuff looks good to me though overall, the battles look really gritty and fun...  Space battles looked a lot cooler than I imagined too, that should rock.  I really want to see how fast the action is, and then how easy to control the game is.  FC's fun/fast but controlling it was always probably its biggest issue.  Once you learned it, it became somewhat easy but always an issue during the game, so I'm really curious to see how it's handled in EAW.

Glad to hear that the battles aren't forcing multi-tasking or whatnot.  You play the ground or space, not both at the same time, because I can't see how anyone would control that. :)

The sounds, which many probably haven't even thought of yet, sounded really great in the game.  Screams were realistic, commanders for various parts of a ship yelling out damage as if you're the honcho on the bridge and hearing staticy reports from Engineering or the Gunnery line decks, or Torp Launcher rooms...  Really cool ****.  Especially when the guy's voice is cut off because his ship just took the big hit and blows up...  Speaking of this too, watching the Corvette blow up and a huge chunk of the foreward section drift off into space as the engines/aft section desintegrated...  Nice.

Something I wish they'd include but I doubt is a "Ramming" option.  Taking your ship directly into another if you're going to lose it.  Make it hard to accomplish and have an "intensified fire" counter so if your ship is barely alive as it is it gets destroyed in the ramming attempt, but to me that'd add a realism aspect that would be really fun and have a bit of strategic value to it too.

Great site though, lots of fun stuff, looks like some great vehicles.  My EU world just got a huge spike in cool ****. :)  My "Customs To-Do" list for custom vehicles seems like it just got a lot longer too.  Ugh.
Title: Re: Star Wars: Empire At War (Coming Soon)
Post by: JayDouble on December 1, 2005, 02:02 AM
I can't wait.  If it's anything like Galactic Battlegrounds I think I'll be in trouble.   :P
Title: Re: Star Wars: Empire At War (Coming Soon)
Post by: Jesse James on December 13, 2005, 07:14 AM
Dunno if anyone checked out the update story I did on the front page, but the new stuff was kind of cool.

I liked the TIE Scout, that looks like a great, and fairly simplistic, custom ship.  The base is easy enough since it's just a TIE Advanced with that box on top.  I am curious to see if there's some kind of tech gallery like in X-Wing/TIE Fighter games where we can take really close looks at the craft.  If not, I hope an editor is available soon to pull the 3-D models and get my customizing list really long, but with good informationa t least. :)

I liked seeing Kyle Katarn's little video...  He looks like as big a smartass in that as he was in the game series focused on him.  Katarn as a playable character is just great too.  He is one of the ultimate EU characters IMO, so having him as a "hero" to throw into battle that can sabotage things or pull off amazing stuff is just great.  Looks like he's maybe a specialist for sabotage though, something I always kinda figured he'd be great at by his past games.  Just a badass!

The Bothans looked cool but not much was said about them...  Just them fighting at the feet of an AT-AT against a Stormie.  They look neat, but I'm curious what makes them special...

Good stuff.  This game looks better and better, but I'm still wary of problems.  I'm anxious to see more vehicle bios too.  I want to see how they cover the armor for both sides that's new, and how things like the AT-AA reappear in this game, and if they're modeled after their predecessors or new designs.
Title: Re: Star Wars: Empire At War (Coming Soon)
Post by: Matt_Fury on December 14, 2005, 09:02 PM
There are a bunch of characters from the films as well that will be playable in the game, Darth Vader, Han Solo, Chewbacca, and Boba Fett just to name a few.

Another cool EU character...Mara Jade.

I sure hope this game lives up to its potential.
Title: Re: Star Wars: Empire At War (Coming Soon)
Post by: Jesse James on December 15, 2005, 03:13 AM
Mara could be real cool but I question her being thrown into the timeline.  She'd be REALLY young I'd imagine...  I had similar thoughts about Katarn but at least he's a fairly older guy by the time of ANH when he bogards the Death Star Plans...  At least Solo's age or older so I can sorta buy him.  Jade always struck me as perhaps younger than Luke, and this war supposedly takes place a while before ANH I thought.  Could be only a short time before though, like a couple years I guess?   ???

It's a beautiful game though, the environments look fantastic.  That was something I have learned to appreciate for almost all games...  Force Commander had cool environments, but it sounds like EAW will definitely utilize terrain more which FC didn't do so well...  It did, but on a crude level compared to modern 3-D RTS games like Medeival Total War does.  You really can use terrain strategically and that is cool.

Love the looks of the game, and I'm just happy to see something new/expansive coming to PC.  Platforms have been getting way too much attention.  PC's always going to be the cutting edge so I hope this is a sign that perhaps classic genres like Flight Sim and 1st Person Shooter will make a comeback with new games for the PC.
Title: Re: Star Wars: Empire At War (Coming Soon)
Post by: JayDouble on January 17, 2006, 07:02 PM
The demo is set to launch tomorrow. (http://www.gamespot.com/promos/2006/starwarsdemo/)
Title: Re: Star Wars: Empire At War (Coming Soon)
Post by: JayDouble on January 19, 2006, 07:20 PM
Has anyone actually donwload it yet?  I keep trying but it's downloading at 30kb/s so I just keep cancelling it.  Hopefully things will cool off during the weekend and I can get it a a reasonable rate.
Title: Re: Star Wars: Empire At War (Coming Soon)
Post by: Jesse James on January 20, 2006, 05:20 AM
I did, left it go over night, but haven't tried to actually load up and play.  Honestly I'd be surprised if my system handled it ok.  It's requirements were low as I recall but I'm planning to try it soon just to see.
Title: Re: Star Wars: Empire At War (Coming Soon)
Post by: Jesse James on February 16, 2006, 07:41 AM
And today's the day folks...

Did any of you read the SW.com databank entry we reported on the front page the other day?

Lots of new tank units.  I wish they'd do a databank entry that covered all the Force Commander and Galactic Battlegrounds units and folded them into the vehicles database the site has going. 

Be cool if they included the ground units from Rogue Squadron series too because the Rebels were fielding a few slow hover tanks, looked old and cool.  I'm wondering if there's names even for those though.

Good stuff though, and right now I'm wishing I had a new computer.  :)

Share your reviews on this one if you get it, I'm curious to hear people's thoughts.
Title: Re: Star Wars: Empire At War (Coming Soon)
Post by: Diddly on February 16, 2006, 06:05 PM
Not sure when I'll be picking it up, but hopefully it will be soon. Has anyone seen the commercial on TV yet? That makes me want it even more...
Title: Re: Star Wars: Empire At War (Coming Soon)
Post by: Jesse James on February 17, 2006, 05:15 AM
The AT-AT's on the march, the rebel tanks...

I hate the bold blue and red colors on stuff, it takes away from realism (you should learn the units more than rely on bold coloring), but it's still a great looking game.  I'm amazed a databank entry followed it, actually.  I wish I could run the SW.com Databank I'd fill that thing with all the video game goodies peopel would love to read about.  Oh well.

I gotta get some upgrades or something to play it unfortunately.  :(  I'm pretty far from an upgrade.
Title: Re: Star Wars: Empire At War (Coming Soon)
Post by: JediKnight87 on February 18, 2006, 05:04 PM
Does anyone know the system requirements to play this game? 
Title: Re: Star Wars: Empire At War (Coming Soon)
Post by: Matt_Fury on February 18, 2006, 05:25 PM
Just pulled this off of the Lucasarts website:


Computer: 100% DirectX 9.0c compatible computer
CPU: Intel Pentium III 1.0 GHz or AMD Athlon 1.0 GHz
Operating System: Windows 2000, Windows XP
Ram: 256MB
Graphics Card: 32 MB graphics card with Hardware Transform and Lighting (T&L) capability
Sound Card: 100% DirectX 9.0c compatible, PCI or Onboard Audio Device
Internet: 56kbps or faster connection (required for multiplayer only)


I don't have the game yet, I may hold off on getting it until I'm done with this class I'm taking.
Title: Re: Star Wars: Empire At War (Coming Soon)
Post by: Ryan on February 18, 2006, 05:36 PM
Just pulled this off of the Lucasarts website:


Computer: 100% DirectX 9.0c compatible computer
CPU: Intel Pentium III 1.0 GHz or AMD Athlon 1.0 GHz
Operating System: Windows 2000, Windows XP
Ram: 256MB
Graphics Card: 32 MB graphics card with Hardware Transform and Lighting (T&L) capability
Sound Card: 100% DirectX 9.0c compatible, PCI or Onboard Audio Device
Internet: 56kbps or faster connection (required for multiplayer only)


I don't have the game yet, I may hold off on getting it until I'm done with this class I'm taking.



Pfffft, class. Get your priorities straight. ;)
Title: Re: Star Wars: Empire At War (Coming Soon)
Post by: Jesse James on February 21, 2006, 04:28 AM
yeah, I'm on Win 98 for god's sake...  :)

I've gotta get a new computer before I move on with gaming...  I've got a good system now but my OS is definitely out of date and I don't own a DVD-ROM to play most new games. :(  Sucks to be me...  I wanna have 2 PC's running and just run my old games on this one and run new games on a new one...  But man, it's tough justifying a new PC when this one's really running AOK.  Well, for the most part AOK anyway.
Title: Re: Star Wars: Empire At War (Coming Soon)
Post by: Diddly on February 25, 2006, 09:12 PM
Picked up the game today, and wow. I'm still getting used to it, but it's way fun. Right now, I like space battles better than land battles. I'll post detailed thoughts sometime soon.
Title: Re: Star Wars: Empire At War (Coming Soon)
Post by: Ryan on March 4, 2006, 04:05 PM
I finally bought this game with some gift cards that I had been saving for a 360 at some point, but I figure SW comes first and I didn't want to wait for this game forever.

I still haven't played it yet, cause I was going to reimage my harddrive first to make some room and get everything running smoothly again, but the serial number on my computer apparently doesn't jive with the one on the Windows disk so that is going to take awhile. >:(
Title: Re: Star Wars: Empire At War (Coming Soon)
Post by: Ryan on March 6, 2006, 01:29 AM
I got everything working and have been playing thos game for about 5 hours now, it is preyyt fun. It takes forever because I just have back to back space battles and no one really gains anything. I wish you could fortify your land bases prior to an attack but oh well. I've got a few minor gripes but this for the most part a pretty good game. :)
Title: Re: Star Wars: Empire At War (Coming Soon)
Post by: Matt_Fury on March 6, 2006, 01:36 PM
A friend of mine at work has the game and he says it has a lot of bugs in it?  Is it true or is my friend as computer illiterate as I think?
Title: Re: Star Wars: Empire At War (Coming Soon)
Post by: Ryan on March 7, 2006, 06:31 AM
He is as computer illerate as you think. ;)

The only problem I have with mine is someone at LucasArts seems to have laced mine with crack, I'm addicted as hell to this game. :D

BTW Matt, buy this game so I have someone to play online with. :)
Title: Re: Star Wars: Empire At War (Coming Soon)
Post by: Matt_Fury on March 7, 2006, 11:18 AM
I'm going down to Best Buy today and will probably pick it up, but I'm not installing it until I get the final exam and project paper done for my class.  I'll be playing it next week.

Thanks for the info Ryan.
Title: Re: Star Wars: Empire At War (Coming Soon)
Post by: Diddly on March 9, 2006, 05:37 PM
A friend of mine at work has the game and he says it has a lot of bugs in it?  Is it true or is my friend as computer illiterate as I think?

I've only had one problem in my 2 weeks of owning it, and that was a freeze up at a cutscene. But it works a-okay other than that.

Ryan, I have the game, but I still need to get the Online Upgrade. I just haven't downloaded it yet, but that will have to change now that I know somebody who has the game. ;)

EDIT: I unlocked the Death Star in campaign mode earlier. Rebel controlled planets, watch out. ;D
Title: Re: Star Wars: Empire At War (Coming Soon)
Post by: Jesse James on March 10, 2006, 07:17 AM
I've heard a couple people reporting bugginess, but that's not necessarilly bad as most PC games have things that could use a fix and a patch comes out shortly thereafter, so I figure it's just minor stuff we'll see fixed like usual.

I'm working on getting a new computer, and then EAW will be mine.  :)
Title: Re: Star Wars: Empire At War (Coming Soon)
Post by: Matt_Fury on March 15, 2006, 01:28 AM
I'm now working through the single player campaigns as the Rebel Alliance and I've found a few interesting tips:

1.  Stay away from the auto determine feature!  It does not taketactics into account at all.  I accidentally hit that once and lost a battle then later won another battle with a much smaller force.

2.  Don't worry about the next mission for one of your hero characters in the que.  My next mission is to get Capt Antilles all the way to the other side of the galaxy to stop some smuggler from talking, and instead of going there in a straight shot to solve it, I'm conquering all the planets on the way.  Apparently I don't have a set amount of time from keeping the smuggler from talking.

That's about it right now.  I've managed to create a sizeable force so far.  I have a bulk of it set up as an invasion force taking planets and a few smaller defensive forces to follow behind and protect planets along the border with the Empire.

Jesse, you'll love this game.  None of the resource gathering of battlegrounds, the graphics of Force Commander with a more intuitive interface.  A well done game!
Title: Re: Star Wars: Empire At War (Coming Soon)
Post by: Jesse James on March 15, 2006, 03:45 AM
It sounds really really nice Matt.

I gotta get a new computer...  I was just through a traumatic unwanted selling of my car because it was just not something I could afford to hang onto since I didn't need it and it was costing me to store it, so I'm hopefully gonna get a new PC shortly...  Then EAW will be mine! :)

Till then I'm just horsing aroudn with X-Box games I get on the cheap.   :-\
Title: Re: Star Wars: Empire At War (Coming Soon)
Post by: Matt_Fury on March 19, 2006, 10:44 AM
I'm still trodding along in single player, but I was curious if anyone has played in Multiplayer yet?  Just curious on how the game holds up.  I've actually never played any of my RTS games in multiplayer yet.
Title: Re: Star Wars: Empire At War (Coming Soon)
Post by: Diddly on March 19, 2006, 07:16 PM
I agree with those tips Matt. There's no time limit for defenses, so conquer planets and build up armies and defenses.

I find it good to build a huge space/ground fleet for conquering planets, and leaving small defenses with space stations at my controlled planets. A big space station and one of each ship available will stop any enemy space invasions, and a few troops and vehicles on the surface, along with stuff like turbolasers, should stop any small land invasion that takes place.

Just take your time when it comes to campaign, it's all worth it at the end.
Title: Re: Star Wars: Empire At War (Coming Soon)
Post by: Matt_Fury on March 20, 2006, 11:43 AM
I just finished the mission where Han and Chewie steal plans for large capital ships and you get Admiral Ackbar.  Shortly after, the entire galaxy opened up and the Imperial fleet started attacking my planets.  I think I'm about to lose Dantooine because I had no one there, other than the space station and a fleet just showed up.  I might have a little force building and planet retaking to do, but it should be fun!
Title: Re: Star Wars: Empire At War
Post by: CHEWIE on March 22, 2006, 08:19 PM
Crap, I bought it, and got it downloaded.  Go to start, and it says I don't have a 3D hardware... damnit!!!  So I am trying to download something from http://downloads.guru3d.com/ - I don't know if this will help me or not though.  I swear, it's always something...

 :P
Title: Re: Star Wars: Empire At War
Post by: Ryan on March 22, 2006, 08:21 PM
Crap, I bought it, and got it downloaded.  Go to start, and it says I don't have a 3D hardware... damnit!!!  So I am trying to download something from http://downloads.guru3d.com/ - I don't know if this will help me or not though.  I swear, it's always something...

 :P

You sir, need a new computer. ;)
Title: Re: Star Wars: Empire At War
Post by: Jesse James on March 23, 2006, 12:48 AM
If you don't have a 3D Graphics Card CHEWIE, you're not gonna be able to run it irregardless of downloads. 
Title: Re: Star Wars: Empire At War
Post by: CHEWIE on March 23, 2006, 10:59 AM
Thanks guys.  I did have a 3D graphics card on my computer.  I dropped it off at the shop again (4th work order on it since March 2nd) as I know they didn't keep that component in.  Hell, they disabled Word on it and it won't reinstall, screwed up my USB ports, and now this.  Looks like no home PC for CHEWIE for a while again.

 :P
Title: Re: Star Wars: Empire At War (Coming Soon)
Post by: Diddly on March 26, 2006, 12:08 AM
Sorry to hear about your PC problems CHEWIE. Get them fixed so you can play this great game!

I just finished the mission where Han and Chewie steal plans for large capital ships and you get Admiral Ackbar.  Shortly after, the entire galaxy opened up and the Imperial fleet started attacking my planets.  I think I'm about to lose Dantooine because I had no one there, other than the space station and a fleet just showed up.  I might have a little force building and planet retaking to do, but it should be fun!

Damn, sounds great. I'm stuck on that 2nd Rebel mission where you have to use Y-Wings to disable the shuttles and have Antilles rescue them. I always get down to the last shuttle, and then things fall apart, since the Y-Wings can never neutralize the shuttle. They start shooting, and then the shuttle blows up. It's very annoying.
Title: Re: Star Wars: Empire At War
Post by: Matt_Fury on March 27, 2006, 12:52 AM
I went into that mission with a butt-load of y-wings, that Ion cannon feature they have does a great job of diabling the shuttles.

It comes in handy in later missions agains Star Destroyers as well.
Title: Re: Star Wars: Empire At War
Post by: CHEWIE on March 28, 2006, 01:31 PM
I haven't played it since Saturday, but I am hooked on this game.  Tons and tons of space battles.  Build up those Ion Cannons on your planets with a good space station and you have a good defense.  Add a few capital ships and a blockade runner or two, and you're in great shape to defend against the Empire.

The Assault Frigate MKII is just awesome.  Go into battle with a couple of these supported by Blockade Runners and you're in great shape when attacking space stations or Star Destroyers.  Add a few X-Wings and Y-Wings and you're set!

(http://images.pexsus.com/games/empireatwar/units/rebel/thumbnail/thumbs/242e8ec714fd7f98d5d122eb584a6e7e)

I haven't been able to take over Mon Calamari yet though on the land battle, I guess I need to build a bigger force.  That damn shield generator is giving me problems.

 :P
Title: Re: Star Wars: Empire At War
Post by: Matt_Fury on March 29, 2006, 06:58 PM
Just make sure you have a couple squadrons of Y-wings with your ground force and you can do bombing runs.  They come in real handy!
Title: Re: Star Wars: Empire At War
Post by: Ryan on March 30, 2006, 11:47 PM
I haven't played it since Saturday, but I am hooked on this game.  Tons and tons of space battles.  Build up those Ion Cannons on your planets with a good space station and you have a good defense.  Add a few capital ships and a blockade runner or two, and you're in great shape to defend against the Empire.

The Assault Frigate MKII is just awesome.  Go into battle with a couple of these supported by Blockade Runners and you're in great shape when attacking space stations or Star Destroyers.  Add a few X-Wings and Y-Wings and you're set!

(http://images.pexsus.com/games/empireatwar/units/rebel/thumbnail/thumbs/242e8ec714fd7f98d5d122eb584a6e7e)

I haven't been able to take over Mon Calamari yet though on the land battle, I guess I need to build a bigger force.  That damn shield generator is giving me problems.

 :P

I did it with a raid squad with only 1 Infiltrator squad. You just have to use the Mon Cal Natives for everything, it takes awhile but you don't lose any of your own guys.

Just set it on Fast Forward and send the mon cal on repeated suicide missions. and then use your bombers to bomb whatever they see.
Title: Re: Star Wars: Empire At War
Post by: Matt_Fury on March 31, 2006, 01:32 PM
Bombing Runs and T-4 Tanks....I barely lost any ground troops.
Title: Re: Star Wars: Empire At War
Post by: Ryan on March 31, 2006, 09:46 PM
Ugggggh, I think I may have found a MAJOR glitch in the game. I am on the Empire Campaign and I just got the Death Star. You have to take it to Alderaan to blow up the planet. I can defeat the Rebel Fleet with no problems but as soon as the DS star gets in Range there seems to be no way to fire it. Does anyone know what to do or how  fire it? I've tried Shift-D and Ctrl-W and neither seem to work.  >:( :-\

EDIT: With Diddly's help I think I've figured it out. :)
Title: Re: Star Wars: Empire At War
Post by: Jesse James on April 1, 2006, 01:52 AM
Forget design flaws, the Alliance won simply because the Empire doesn't read the owner's manual.   ;)

Just bustin' your pair, of course Tarkin I mean Ryan...
Title: Re: Star Wars: Empire At War
Post by: Matt_Fury on April 1, 2006, 02:34 PM
There's a manual?  :o
Title: Re: Star Wars: Empire At War
Post by: Ryan on April 1, 2006, 04:10 PM
Alright I figured out what happened, before I sent the Death Star and my main fleet to the planet I had sent a smuggler to scout it out and just chill in space like I normally do, I then accidentally landed him and it said planet controlled. I didn't build anything but it was still green. So when the fleet was there the DS couldn't destroy the planet.There was no lever like Diddly told me there was. Luckily I had saved not too long before that, I had to redo the last few missions but they were all quick and easy. I did beat the Empire campaign last night so I have beaten it with both the Rebels and Imperials now.

Here's a quick screenshot of the fleet I took to destroy the last Rebel Planets with:

(http://sithlordchaos.250free.com/SP32-20060401-041605.jpg)

I believe it counted for about 430 population points. :D
Title: Re: Star Wars: Empire At War
Post by: Jesse James on April 3, 2006, 10:45 PM
Over 100 Destroyers by a lot, and 2 Interdictors?  Who needs a Death Star...  You had enough there to whip some ass.

God I need a new computer, you guys are depressing me.
Title: Re: Star Wars: Empire At War
Post by: Diddly on April 4, 2006, 12:24 AM
Good grief, Ryan, you had THAT many ships? My invasion force was 8 Victory Destroyers, 2 Star Destroyer, a few Tartans and missile cruisers, and Vader.
Title: Re: Star Wars: Empire At War
Post by: Ryan on April 4, 2006, 12:35 AM
Yeah my population count was completely full somwhere around 850. I had every space station built up as high as it would go, and a Victory and Tartan cruiser garrisoned at every major planet. At the each of the 4 major shipyards I had 2 Star Destroyers, 2 Victory class destroyers, 1 fleet commander, and 1 Tartan cruiser. And at Coruscant I had garrisoned 6 Star Destroyers, 3 Victory class destroyers, and 5 Tartan cruisers. I had about $1.6 million credits. I think I may have gone a bit overboard. :P
Title: Re: Star Wars: Empire At War
Post by: Jesse James on April 4, 2006, 01:52 AM
The Empire can't go overboard.

You probably did it more realistic to the films than anyone. :)
Title: Re: Star Wars: Empire At War
Post by: Ryan on April 4, 2006, 02:58 AM
The Empire can't go overboard.

You probably did it more realistic to the films than anyone. :)

It really isn't neccessary to play it like that but for some reason I've always liked to pretend what ever I'm playing is a real military conflict/war and deploy my forces accordingly. I like to fortify my capitals and major assets even if they are in the middle of my territory.... yeah I'm totally nerdy. :P
Title: Re: Star Wars: Empire At War
Post by: Jesse James on April 4, 2006, 04:24 AM
I'm like that too...  For Force Commander in the Imperial levels I preferred going in strong rather than pissing with little forces.  The unit cap screwed that sometimes, but I tended to focus on a less heavily fortified command center in terms of fixed items, and instead used mobile weaponry...

That would leave me hefty stacks of walkers broken into multiple armored columns I could rove the field with and bring hell to the Rebels wherever they were.  Opening multiple fronts and stuff.  The only fixed emplacements I insisted on having were the necessities like a landing platform w/TIE Fighters to act as scouts.  The Fighters practically defended the base themselves and mauled infantry and other aircraft...  They were just great to scout up to a point, the fringe of a dangerous area, then you marched your now massive armored column up and beat the piss out of whatever was there...  :)

I love the actual military aspect of these games...  The control you have.  With that broadened for EAW, I'm even that much more bummed I can't get into it right now.
Title: Re: Star Wars: Empire At War
Post by: Jeff on April 17, 2006, 11:27 PM
I picked up this game tonight at Best Buy ($39.99).

It's installing as we speak, looking forward to more than just the demo I've been practicing on!   :)
Title: Re: Star Wars: Empire At War
Post by: Matt_Fury on April 19, 2006, 06:07 PM
Well...guess Jeff won't be posting for the next few days.   ;D
Title: Re: Star Wars: Empire At War
Post by: Jesse James on May 10, 2006, 01:01 AM
So already an expansion pack being mentioned?

Did you guys read our story on the front page on it?  It's interesting the concept they're running with on this.  Playing not from the Alliance or Empire's POV, but instead the 3rd party "opportunist" point of view...  A criminal lord up-and-coming in the crime world of the galaxy.

I have always thought that playing from the pirate/criminal point of view in Star Wars would be neat.  I wanted to see LA go with a "Privateer" styled game where you're warrin' and whorin' but never borin', milking the system, playing both sides against each other for your own gain...

I'm curious how they'll make this work out though.  Sounds like new units, though nothing terribly great it seems.  At least not yet.  Should be interesting to see in the future.
Title: Re: Star Wars: Empire At War
Post by: Jeff on May 10, 2006, 10:19 AM
I picked up the game a couple weeks ago, but only had a little time to play so far... 

I worked my way through the tutorials to get started and then started up as the Empire.  Only made it through the first part so far (Thyferria?), but I am loving this game so far.


So already an expansion pack being mentioned?

Seems fast, but a good sign that this game is doing well.

The Official Site posted a nice trailer (http://starwars.com/gaming/videogames/news/eawfoctrailer.html) for the expansion - very cool!
Title: Re: Star Wars: Empire At War
Post by: Ryan on May 10, 2006, 05:08 PM
Quote
This Fall, the battle for control of the galaxy expands with the release of Star Wars Empire at War: Forces of Corruption. This expansion for the best-selling PC game features the underworld's point of view of the Galactic Civil War. The Rebels have just destroyed the Death Star, and the galaxy is in turmoil. As an aspiring Underworld figure named Tyber Zann, spread corruption throughout the galaxy using new strategic gameplay elements to influence other factions, steal their funds, slow their production, spy on them and more. Exciting new land-tactical options like customizable, upgradeable bases and guerilla warfare allow for innovative battlefield tactics. Take command of and confront new fighting units for all factions (Rebel B-wings, Imperial TIE interceptors, Darth Vader's Executor Super Star Destroyer and more), and take down anyone who stands in your way of ruling the Underworld, be they new battlefield heroes like Luke Skywalker and Yoda, or the forces of your most bitter rival, Jabba the Hutt. Destroy capital ships with the awesome firepower of the second Death Star, and satiate Tyber's drive for the deadliest capital ship in the galaxy, a devastatingly powerful Super Star Destroyer known as the Eclipse.


 :o  :o  :o

That is awesome news, I can't want to use some SSDs. The new units sound pretty cool. It was cool watching the trailer and being able to recognize the ships from elsewhere in EU, it is nice to see new units that aren't in the movies. That pirate guy looks like he was using some sort of energy whip.

I can't wait! :)
Title: Re: Star Wars: Empire At War
Post by: Matt_Fury on May 10, 2006, 05:41 PM
Sweet! Looks like more time in front of the computer!  ;D
Title: Re: Star Wars: Empire At War
Post by: Jesse James on May 10, 2006, 07:05 PM
Check out the box cover for the expansion and look at the ships bombarding Mos Eisley...

Flame throwing the city from the air...  Now that's a Star Wars weapon of mass and brutal destruction. :)  What good that'd do on stucco buildings I dunno, but hey who cares?  That is a kick ass looking vessel there...

Seems interesting though...  I'm a little miffed they're following different EU progression and stuff, but no huge deal really in the grand scheme.  All BS-able to fit how you want it to I guess.  But still it shows how splintered and stupid EU is in Star Wars...  Nothing ever lines up taking note from past experiences.  I'm still irked they didn't use the Force Commander units as shown in the game (if at all) and designed their own stuff...  It can be worked together, but it's annoying to me from an anal retentive point of view.

Anyway seems like some new characters involved that should be cool.  New ships too look nice too.  I'm very intrigued by that flame thrower ship...  That looks badass.
Title: Re: Star Wars: Empire At War
Post by: Ryan on May 12, 2006, 04:14 PM
http://media.pc.ign.com/media/827/827314/img_3596831.html

Good Lord, look at the size of that thing! Boy oh boy I'm excited for this expansion. :)
Title: Re: Star Wars: Empire At War
Post by: Diddly on May 13, 2006, 01:52 AM
I'm excited as well. When is the targeted release date? Fall?
Title: Re: Star Wars: Empire At War
Post by: JesseVader08 on May 13, 2006, 02:03 AM
When is the targeted release date? Fall?

It sounds like that is the plan.  IGN also has a great article (http://pc.ign.com/articles/707/707748p1.html) about the game too.
Title: Re: Star Wars: Empire At War
Post by: Jesse James on July 13, 2006, 04:52 AM
Newsie news on the front page today...  Head on up and check out the stories at Gamespot.  Good stuff it seems for EAW.  Sounds like the game's only gonna get better. 

I'll never know.   :'(  Well I will, it just will take me some time because I can't justify a new computer.

In the meantime I may dull my senses by finding GB cheap and palying it through for ***** and giggles.
Title: Re: Star Wars: Empire At War
Post by: Matt_Fury on July 15, 2006, 01:53 PM
Jesse....playing a new game is always justification for buying a new computer!   :D
Title: Re: Star Wars: Empire At War
Post by: Ryan on July 15, 2006, 05:44 PM
Hmmm, I went to play EAW today and it wouldn't open the program because it said my 3D hardware wasn't good enough. I haven't changed my 3D card since the last time I played. Anyone know what could be wrong? Did the latest update change the system requirements?  ???
Title: Re: Star Wars: Empire At War
Post by: Matt_Fury on July 15, 2006, 07:29 PM
That's wierd Ryan.  Were you able to get into the game and see what your setting are?  Maybe that's the problem.

The only other thing I can think of right off the top of my head is to re-install the game.  :-\
Title: Re: Star Wars: Empire At War
Post by: Ryan on July 16, 2006, 04:54 PM
Nope, it wouldn't even open. I haven't done a thing to my settings or my hardware controlers since I last played.

The only thing I can think it would possibly be is the update I had just downloaded. Is it possible the requirements are higher now? I wouldn't think so, but at the moment i can't think of anything else it could be.  :-\
Title: Re: Star Wars: Empire At War
Post by: Matt_Fury on July 17, 2006, 08:57 PM
If they did....that would be a first in gaming history.  The update is most likely the culprit, it probably changed something in your settings and ****** it up somehow.

Lucasarts has a help forum on their site, I've been using it to try and find a fix for KOTOR I & II so they'll work on my new laptop....apparantly those games do not like the new Intel Dual Core processors.   >:(
Title: Re: Star Wars: Empire At War
Post by: Diddly on July 26, 2006, 12:15 AM
I downloaded the update a few days ago, and everything remained fine on my end. Did you ever find a solution, Ryan?
Title: Re: Star Wars: Empire At War
Post by: Ryan on July 27, 2006, 04:06 AM
I haven't yet, but then again I haven't tried. I haven't had a real big chunk of time to play. So it sounds like this may be something on my end. I'll have to look into it soon.
Title: Re: Star Wars: Empire At War
Post by: Matt_Fury on November 7, 2006, 12:33 PM
Just curious to see if anyone picked up Forces of Corruption yet.

I have not, just been too busy with work, home and school.  I might wait until Christmas, so Wendy can get it for me.   ;)
Title: Re: Star Wars: Empire At War
Post by: Jesse James on November 8, 2006, 01:47 AM
Considering I'm still running an old machine, I haven't, but god willing the day I get a new computer I'll have all these games to catch up on. ;)
Title: Re: Star Wars: Empire At War
Post by: Diddly on November 9, 2006, 10:47 PM
Waiting on Christmas as well.
Title: Re: Star Wars: Empire At War
Post by: Jesse James on January 2, 2007, 09:27 PM
I'm on XP Pro...  Looks like I may be getting EAW here eventually if I can get it cheap, but I've gotta pay off what I had done to my computer first so I'll still be a little bit.  The Demo ran pretty great but not on the highest settings either.  I got choppy during big space combat explosions on the demo unfortunately.
Title: Re: Star Wars: Empire At War
Post by: Diddly on January 3, 2007, 06:06 PM
I got the Forces of Corruption expansion for Christmas but I've yet to even open it. I'll try and give it a go this weekend, I should have thoughts ready by MLK Weekend.
Title: Re: Star Wars: Empire At War
Post by: Smartypants1635 on January 8, 2007, 05:21 PM
I got it today And its installing now, so what is everyones screen names for this? maybe we can have a battle :P
Title: Re: Star Wars: Empire At War
Post by: Diddly on January 8, 2007, 06:16 PM
Well here's a big pile of bull****... I've installed the Forces of Corruption expansion twice now, and every time I try to play, I get an error message saying that the "Original disc could not be found or authenticated." I've tried reasearching this problem online and I've found that tons of people have had the same troubles since the expansion came out, and LucasArts has yet to do anything about it yet. Apparently this is all the fault of the stupid Anti-Piracy software they put on all their games. ::)
Title: Re: Star Wars: Empire At War
Post by: Jesse James on January 8, 2007, 10:00 PM
That does suck, and I may hold off buying this now for a little while till things get hashed out...  I'd like to get it in a bundle pack, which I figure they may get it fixed by the time they put that together.
Title: Re: Star Wars: Empire At War
Post by: Matt_Fury on January 9, 2007, 12:31 PM
I'm kinda glad I held out a bit as well.  I'm sure Lucasarts has some fix for it by now.  Have you checked on their forums?
Title: Re: Star Wars: Empire At War
Post by: Diddly on January 9, 2007, 04:34 PM
Yeah, I did try the forums. The only post I saw that wasn't a member complaining about the problem was a mod saying he'd forward the problem to tech support. That post was made in November, and still nothing.

EDIT: Just a few minutes ago I tried opening the game for ***** and giggles and it actually worked. I think a combination of the LucasArts patch they released and a reboot helped. I'm relieved that it's working now.

EDIT 2: If you get the game and you have the same problem I did, download these:

LucasArts FOC Update 1.1 (http://support.lucasarts.com/patches/EAWFOC1_1.htm)

SecuROM Update (drag and drop this file into C:\Program Files\LucasArts\Star Wars Empire at War Forces of Corruption) (http://www.securom.com/support/customers/lucasarts/EAWX_t086/swfoc.zip)

After downloading these two files, reboot your system and see if that helps matters.
Title: Re: Star Wars: Empire At War
Post by: Matt_Fury on March 12, 2007, 09:33 PM
I finally picked up Forces of Corruption and beat it on Campaign mode.  I did not have any of the problems you did Diddly.

I really liked the game, interesting story, which is what usually drives me to play games in the first place.  They did leave it wide open for yet another expansion pack.
Title: Re: Star Wars: Empire At War
Post by: Greg on January 21, 2008, 11:15 AM
I hate to bump an old thread, but I'm feeling the need to share this.
Anyway, Empire at War and Forces of Corruption had been starting to bore me, so I uninstalled them from my computer. This was probably back in September.

Well, last night I was on Google, looking for some images of the AT-TE. I stumbled upon a web site with a great mod for EAW:FOC. I think it's called Shadow of the Empire. To my knowledge, nothing is replaced. Stuff is only added to the game. The Empire is given ARC-170s, V-Wings, AT-AP walkers, AT-TEs, E-Web troopers, and a bunch of other stuff. The Rebel Alliance gets some new capital ships, but I haven't really played around with there side just yet. The Consortium gets a very nice smatter of CIS units, such as the Invisible hand and AATs. So far, the mod was well worth the download, has close to zero glitches, and overall refreshed my EAW game for the better.
Title: Re: Star Wars: Empire At War
Post by: Matt_Fury on January 23, 2008, 03:45 PM
Glad you like it Greg, but it just sounds like it's a bunch of new skins for the vehicles.
Title: Re: Star Wars: Empire At War
Post by: Chris Wyman on April 13, 2008, 10:11 AM
Someone at work just gave me this game to try out. I don't know why I've never played it. I guess the amount of time needed for games like this probably had something to do with it. Anyway, I'm right in the middle of another game right now, so I'll get to it soon. It's making me want to hurry up and finish what I'm already playing though. Any Star Wars game gets me excited, so it shouldn't be hard for me to love this game.
Title: Re: Star Wars: Empire At War
Post by: Matt_Fury on April 13, 2008, 01:48 PM
Cool.  It's probably the best Star Wars RTS game made, you'll enjoy it.
Title: Re: Star Wars: Empire At War
Post by: Chris Wyman on April 16, 2008, 12:53 PM
I started this last night. I'm through seven of eight training missions, so I'll finish the last one up tonight when I get home from work. I'm really excited to get into the actual game. Hopefully I'm able to pick up the different controls pretty quick. Most of these types of games are the same as far as gameplay and what you are supposed to do. I used to play Command & Conquer like it was going out of style, so I should be okay.
Title: Re: Star Wars: Empire At War
Post by: Chris Wyman on April 22, 2008, 03:48 PM
I went to Gamespot.com and found a bunch of patches for this game and I downloaded several of them. I go to start the game and some very strange things were changed. I’ve now got this big pixelated Captain Antilles that comes up whenever you move the mouse over a ship or person and every item icon has been changed to something different. The game also seems to run a bit slow at times. Anyone else ever have this happen?
Title: Re: Star Wars: Empire At War
Post by: Scockery on September 20, 2013, 05:39 PM
Everyone here stopped playing this game years ago, but since I picked it up used and started playing a couple of months back...

Epic moments:

One mission on the Rebel Campaign, not understanding the mission (thought you had blow the bunker up, not just stop and then go), having Chewbacca steal a hover tank and drive it around in circles being pursued by AT-ST's and stormtroopers. It took many tries to complete that mission.

Imperials invade Endor, I had NO troops there. No barracks. The Ewoks alone destroyed the entire Imperial invasion force...without the aide of a single defense turret. Second invasion attempt, I had some infantry, the Ewoks managed to destroy an AT-AT before my plex troopers even showed up.

After taking out an AT-AT, Han Solo was the only survivor of my Corellian raiding force, even Chewie bought it. But thanks to his fellow Corellians and defense turrets, Han liberated the whole planet, taking out two light vehicle factories, lots of AT-ST's, fighter tanks and stormtroopers.

Jabiim...as the Empire, I lost most of my units to rebel invaders, but destroyed all theirs except C-3PO and R2-D2, who were hiding with the local resistors. I had barracks, but getting a few squads to take out all the resistance dwellings and find the droids took a long time.  Kept losing squads, then having to send out a fresh one.

One conquest, Ackbar kept attacking the Death Star and then he'd retreat after a minute, losing gobs of A-Wings.
Title: Re: Star Wars: Empire At War
Post by: Angry Ewok on September 21, 2013, 08:09 AM
I actually have Empire Gold on my Steam account. I believe I own all of the Star Wars titles through Steam... maybe I should install this thing finally and see what the fuss was about. LOL