Homeworld 2, 2003 PC game (demo)

I fell in love with Homeworld when it first came out in 1999. There is something about the epic space battle that I really like; perhaps the mixture of high-technology and nomads struggling to survive. Aside from the story, I am enthralled by the truly 3-dimensional universe. Granted, there is much more untapped potential, but the fundamentals are there. This post is going to jump all over the place, but this is the way I think. No apologies.

For instance, most capital ships (the big ones with thick hulls and either bristling with guns or ship factories) have "weaknesses" on the top- or underside. Which means if you focus an attack from one of those directions, you can more easily punch through the skin. However, the game engine (in both Homeworld and Homeworld 2, and even Cataclysm) does not properly align ships moving along the z axis, they may tilt about 35 degrees or so, but essentially you end up with a lopsided ship careening through space at an angle that is impossible if its engines were really pointed in the direction they are. On the plus side, I like a lot of the effects. Especially if you crank up the resolution and detail level; absolutely beautiful!

V2 offers some nice things, but also took away some nice things. The interface, while being a little more easier to grasp, lots its sci-fi appeal. It is now too... comic looking. I like that the build, research and launch windows are now cordoned off to a side of the screen, and that they are linked to the ship in context. I just wanted something that looked really cool, really sci-fi like. I really like the hover mouse effects; hovering over a ship will give you a line to its target, whether it be a waypoint, resource or target. The pulsar weapons are cool, and I think a good addition. I was not able to play and of the behemoth, gun-toting ships (stinking demo). But the class of ships I did play are really exciting. I love big battles, catching a ride on the back of an interceptor zipping around, watching everything blow up.

I did not really like the story behind V2, at least not what I gathered from the demo and the website. One of the best new concepts behind this kind of RTS is that your army (or armada as it were) do not mysteriously disappear for each new session or campaign. What you built from the previous scenario carries over. So, how is it that after this many years, our little fleet is starting from scratch, having to redevelop all its technology?!? Come on! I mean, what would be better is if all the old technology is still available, and some new technology from the intermediate years, with options to develop new and improved technology, assuming the enemy already has tech that can best your old stuff. And where's my fleet?? Did the fleet mastermind sell off ships to scrap and force the gene pool to dwindle? For this, I will not buy the new game; the story is basically recycled from the previous one. At least Cataclysm had a better story.

But the graphics are awesome! The soundtrack is still a big hit with me; a little different, but I think it is generally the same flavor.

Another thing I noticed that I thought was a little strange. In the original, any ships that were too close to a exploding mothership suffered the consequenes; they were toasted and incinerated. But in V2 I have not noticed that. Maybe in a patch?

There are other strange anomalies from both games. They stand out only because everything else about the game is so awesome and spectacular. Ship geometry can be weird. I would want to see sparks, damage and explosions if any ship got too close to another, no matter what size. Instead, I see smaller ships bouncing off larger ones, and larger ships usually just pass through the extremities of another large ship. In V2 there is more "bouncing" going on, especially with larger ships. My guess is that it takes a lot of code and computational power to keep track of that kind of stuff, and it is easier to draw a loose rubberband around a ship. However, a much bigger complaint I have is with the AI. Why the heck would ships even get that close?!? Sometimes the AI is spot on; I have see a capital ship pass through a company of smaller ships (corvettes and fighers), the smaller vehicles parting like a wave and reforming in good military fashion. But in battle, the gloves come off and there is nothing nice. And if everyone knows about the soft undersides, why do all the ships attack from the front or the aft and starboard?

V2 really did improve some aspects of the AI that I noticed. Each ship type is aware of what ship it counters best and usually (always?) targets those ships first. I saw some horrendous examples in the first version where smaller ships would take on a larger capital ship when better choices where nearby. Or a Heavy Cruiser focusing on a bomber when an Attack Frigate was within range. This is handled much better in the newest release. Also, the smaller class (fighters and corvettes) are now launched and exercise tactical maneuvers in intelligent groups (would squads be a good name for that?). That is a huge plus!

It is sad that Sierra and Relic (and might as well throw in Barking Dog) are being broken up; No Homeworld 3. But maybe that is a good thing. Maybe we need something new, something from scratch.

However, having said that, I wish there was something to fill the gap, the gaping maw really, of the Kadeshi, the Bentusi and the "Council". I am tempted to go reading a bit more (Wikipedia can really whet your appetite), but there is really not much in-game.

So, what will the next, great space game be? Genesis Rising was a very interesting approach, but essentially flopped for several reasons. For starters, only 2d movement. What, are the magnetic fields too strong to traverse up or down? Very different twist, though, with living ships that you could morph to your purpose; I liked that. I have heard rumors of some other games, but I am still looking. I remember the Space Commander days, and bringing that flavor back in a big way would be would be just swell.

Update: I have got to find a friend who has Eve Online. I usually a totally against MMOG, but this one sounds quite intriguing.

Heroes of Might and Magic (V), 2006 PC game

I downloaded a demo a few days ago and checked out this facelift for an old but enjoyable game (the HOMM series has been fun). The turn-based system is really old-school, but gives the game a little character, slows down the pace a little. Almost feels a little more like the old-fashioned D&D games.

Anyway, the same thing that I liked about the older HOMM games is what I like in the new. The downside is that very little has changed. Yes, the graphics are awesome, and the soundtrack is excellent. And the little tweaks they have made to acquiring experience, new skills and abilities, are all welcome (and long overdue), the core of the game is exactly the same.

If I had started on this game, I would probably have fallen in love with it, hands down. But since I have played the older games, I have a hard time wanting to play it for hours and hours. The 3D aspect is definitely very cool. And I want to explore the new artifacts, the special and unique racial abilities, and see what else has been tweaked. But I really doubt I am going to invest the proper amount of time that is demanded in order to find all the eye-candy and uber level-up trinkets.

I read some online reviews, and everyone is raving about the game. Well, there are some nay-sayers, but they are few and far between. I cannot believe the big-name reviews have ranked it so high (8 out of 10, or better).