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Dawn of War 2 to have separate multiplayer and single-player game designs
Dawn of War 2, the Warhammer 40,000AD-themed real time strategy game of space orks knocking chainsaws with space marines, comes out next year. As an RTS fan, I'm thrilled. Developer Relic has been doing brave and creative things with the genre. But I was a little worried based on their E3 demo last summer that they were going for more of an action RPG feel, with a handful of heroes, boss battles, inventories, and lots of fussy clicking.
Imagine my relief when a Eurogamer preview included the following comments from lead designer Jonny Ebbert:[Call of Duty said], you know, f*** it, [single-player and multiplayer] are two separate games. And no one objected. That's kind of the approach we took: multiplayer is for the more traditional. You need resource-gathering, you need base-building as a pacing mechanic...Some publications have mistakenly said there's no base-building in the game, there's no resource gathering. That's not true - it's still in multiplayer.
Do you know why some publications have "mistakenly" said it, Mr. Ebbert? Because that's what you told us. As someone who sat in a room with you, watched your demo, and then asked the very questions you're now addressing -- base-building, the resource model, multiplayer, skirmishes -- I was told you weren't ready to comment on those things.
Fair enough. I have no problem with developers and publishers phasing out information over time. It's how they control and feed anticipation for a game. But if you're concerned that people are getting the wrong idea, Mr. Ebbert, maybe you should consider what ideas you've given them.
That said, I couldn't be more excited about Dawn of War 2. Ebbert's work as the lead designer on the Dark Crusade expansion for the original Dawn of War is the single best addition to the series since it came out four years ago. I can't think of anyone I'd rather have in charge of Dawn of War 2.
(Thanks Luke Malish!)
By Klaumbaz at 11:02 AM ON 01/31/09
the building development in multi player consists of spending 100 to build a generator at an energy node.
techmarines and orcs get to build stationary turrets.
It is not spending hours building support structures that have your upgrades in them.
By Jax2 at 1:28 AM ON 02/19/09
You know, after having played the first 8 missions, I have to say I'm very disappointed with DOW2 ... the base building was the main draw that led me to the original, much like the command and conquer series. Base building puts your strategic decision making skills to the test as well as your game playing abilities... if you weren't fast enough and smart enough to build both offensive and defensive structures, your base was over run, game over.
This new version... the fighting styles are a vast improvement over the previous games, with ducking for cover and such, but it's still sloppy. Click as much as you like to avoid a thrown grenade, and your guys may or may not move out of harms way. All 8 missions so far have been simple repetitive clicking of the mouse with no strategy involved what-so-ever. It takes no skill to tell your soldiers to move from point A to point B and using the occasional power play such as air strike or frags. I haven't had a single moment of "Oh, man... what should I do here?!" since I started.
While I'm not finished with the game, as of right now I'm less than happy with the way they've taken the series, it is no longer much of an RTS as it is a point and click and nothing else. Sigh.
Jax2:
You know, after having played the first 8 missions, I have to say I'm very disappointed with DOW2 ... the base buil...More »