29-07-2002 09:08									#1
	Emperor: Battle for Dune Support Apolyton, buy Civilization 2

I vote for this game as the best fantasy RTS. I think it may even be better than Starcraft. Third runner-up, for me, might be Sacrifice. Sacrifice was probably the most unique RTS I have ever played. Very humorous too.

In EBD

*You have an excellent waypoint system.
*There is a little political intrigue: you can ally with the Tleilaxu, Sardaukar, Ix, Guild, or Fremen.
*Unlimited sized groupings, which is good since you are limited to 9.
*Formations.
*Build Q's.
*Unusual and some surreal units.
*The units are very well balanced.

You have all that and you get the great Dune universe too for a rich backdrop to fight against. As Dune was the original RTS wargame, it's good to see that Westwood learned from their previous mistakes and delivered a near perfect game.

Anyone else have this game? Do you agree? I have been having a blast playing this. I just finished House Ordos and now I'm playing the Atreides. I'm saving the best for last, the Harkonnen scum. Their anti-infantry unit, a giant buzzsaw tank, is freakish and frightening to contemplate.

	29-07-2002 16:26									#2
	Support Apolyton, buy Galactic Civilizations: Deluxe Edition

I never did get into that game - I guess I was just expecting an updated version of Dune 2. Speaking of which, my dad still plays Dune 2.

	29-07-2002 16:52									#3
	Support Apolyton, buy Galactic Civilizations: Deluxe Edition

I hated that game. The graphics were too unrealistic.

	29-07-2002 22:49									#4
	Inflate your Upload Space

quote: Originally posted by Eli I hated that game. The graphics were too unrealistic.

How exactly do you realistically render sandworms, etc.?

	29-07-2002 23:42									#5
	Lose 30 kilos (of popups)

No... It was just too toyish. It all looked like a huge lego game.

	30-07-2002 04:38									#6
	Support Apolyton, buy Civilization III: Complete

Eli, are you talking about Dune 2000 or Battle for Dune?

The graphics in battle for dune are very good. They take full advantage of 3d accelerated graphics. The whole game is fully 3d too. And this time the worms are impressive. The first time I saw one take out an army, my jaw literally dropped open.

	31-07-2002 01:06									#7
	Support Apolyton buy from Amazon

Here's some screens:

Attachment: dune.jpg
This has been downloaded 51 time(s).

	31-07-2002 01:12									#8
	Enter the AD-FREE zone

This is a medium-zoom-view of an infantry battle, HUD off, between House Atreides and the Tleiaxu.

Attachment: dune2.jpg
This has been downloaded 53 time(s).

	31-07-2002 10:57									#9
	Support Apolyton or Terrorists Win

I dont know how the Units are 'well-balanced'
Fremen and Sadaukar seemed too Powerful to me

	31-07-2002 13:11									#10
	Support Apolyton buy from Amazon

They're supposed to be (based upon the story).

	31-07-2002 17:49									#11
	Support Apolyton, buy Galactic Civilizations: Deluxe Edition

Well granted :=)
But ingame it seemed quite ridiculous to me. Those two Factions just cancel out each others Disadvateges ( The Sadaukar vulnerability to Vehicles and the Fremen vulnerability to Flying Stuff...) and arent too expensive..

	31-07-2002 19:37									#12
	Suffering from ads?

Actually, I must confess I was thinking about Dune 2000 before rather than the newer Emperor: BFD. So is the newer one similar to Dune 2 in gameplay and structure/unit builds? The graphics look superb (and sandworms are actually something to be feared).

	31-07-2002 22:17									#13
	Got spare money?

Main_Brain, you're right about them cancelling each other out. That's part of the balance. They are balanced like a rock, paper, scissors game. Each unit has another unit that can kill it quite easily.

A nice touch this time, is that the Fremen Fedaykin can ride the worms. I haven't tried this yet myself, as I keep forgetting about it in the heat of battle.

Skanky, I didn't play Dune 2, I did play Dune 2000 and I didn't like that one too much. The game play, minus the advances in technology and the new unit capabilities and additions, is very much the same as the original Dune. The big difference this time is the automation of spice harvesting. You no longer have to micromanage your harvesters. Just make sure you build enough carryalls and defend your spice fields and you'll have plenty of credits to trounce your enemy. You no longer need to build concrete, any solid rock will do. Infantry is also better this time around due to a new terrain feature know as infantry rock. Infantry in infantry rock, gain armor bonuses and cannot be overrun by vehicles.

I've posted a couple more screens.

Attachment: dune4.jpg
This has been downloaded 43 time(s).

	31-07-2002 22:22									#14
	Support Apolyton, buy Civilization: The Boardgame

This an Ordos mortar group, Tleilaxu leeches and light tanks rebuffing a small Atreides rush. If you look close you can see the goldish looking shields on the Ordos light tanks.

Attachment: dune6.jpg
This has been downloaded 41 time(s).

	31-07-2002 22:55									#15
	Support Apolyton, buy Galactic Civilizations: Deluxe Edition

i played it for a while, but haven't beaten it. i like house ordos's kamikazes, but that's just me.

my main problem with it is that it story, gamewise, is rather weak... there's a good way to be non-linear, and then there's a bad way, and emperor just kinda leans too close to the bad way.

	01-08-2002 02:43									#16
	Support Apolyton, buy Civilization: The Boardgame

The counterattacks start to get nerving at some Point
In my First attempt I thought I could cut of Provinces which would then automatically become mine (related to Dune2) but noooooo.
I wished that you could've automated these nonimportant battles
Later in teh Game I simply chose not to defend most stuff.. you only need to head straight for one HQ anyway...

Dune2000 well I didnt like it but I cant fix it on a single Fault.. it well just overall didnt bring the Kick that Dune2 brought.

Ahh for teh Sandworm-Ride :=)
I once took 15 Of those FremenElite let them summon some Worms and hell it was fun
The Only Problem is you have to summon them right as you want to use them.. 'cause if you dont give them Orders the Worms go after a while

	01-08-2002 08:21									#17
	Enter the AD-FREE zone

I know what you mean about those counter-attacks Main_Brain, but I found out something. If you take the initial force you are given and immediately seek out the intruder's base, you can usually run them off without a long drawn out battle. I usually can bust up a counter-attack within about 15 mins.

	01-08-2002 17:04									#18
	Support Apolyton

Aye thats right indeed They have to build up a base too, but I wished that I had my Old Base I built there

	02-08-2002 03:58									#19
	Support Apolyton, buy Galactic Civilizations

quote: Originally posted by Q Cubed i played it for a while, but haven't beaten it. i like house ordos's kamikazes, but that's just me. my main problem with it is that it story, gamewise, is rather weak... there's a good way to be non-linear, and then there's a bad way, and emperor just kinda leans too close to the bad way.

The Ordos saboteurs do some impressive damage. They're cool too.

I thought the story was about on par for a video game. The loser end movie is pretty good, while the winner movies are typical.

I remembered one more reason why I think this is the top fantasy rts.

Your units can advance advance to veteran and elite status.

For House Atreides third level infantry veterans are considered elite units and may re-enter their barracks and train all like units in the future to the first level of veterancy. Atreides soldiers can continue upgading their barracks this way to eventually produce third level elite soldiers.

Here's a couple of more screens.

	02-08-2002 04:05									#20
	Get a bigger avatar today!

Harks attacking Atreides.

Attachment: dune1.jpg
This has been downloaded 21 time(s).

	02-08-2002 04:10									#21
	Support Apolyton buy from Amazon

This is a sand tornado in a spice field.

Attachment: dune.jpg
This has been downloaded 20 time(s).

	02-08-2002 09:59									#22
	Support Apolyton, buy GURPS/ Alpha Centauri

quote: Originally posted by MosesPresley Skanky, I didn't play Dune 2, I did play Dune 2000 and I didn't like that one too much. The game play, minus the advances in technology and the new unit capabilities and additions, is very much the same as the original Dune. The big difference this time is the automation of spice harvesting. You no longer have to micromanage your harvesters. Just make sure you build enough carryalls and defend your spice fields and you'll have plenty of credits to trounce your enemy. You no longer need to build concrete, any solid rock will do. Infantry is also better this time around due to a new terrain feature know as infantry rock. Infantry in infantry rock, gain armor bonuses and cannot be overrun by vehicles.

Now you are mixing up games!

The original Dune was a game where you controlled Paul Atreides in person, and the only other enemy was House Harkonnen. Dune 2 is the one with concrete, building up bases, etc.

Could you post a pic of infantry rock if you get the chance? That sounds interesting.

EDIT: That would be infantry rock in the "Ordos Mortar group" picture?

	02-08-2002 11:42									#23
	Support Apolyton buy from Amazon

quote: Originally posted by Skanky Burns EDIT: That would be infantry rock in the "Ordos Mortar group" picture?

Exactly. The infantry rock finally makes infantry useful. It is usually strategically placed around the maps.

Well, I guess I never even seen the original Dune game then. Was it any good? It must have been Dune 2 that I was playing on my old Genesis. I rented it from Blockbuster. I kept it for an extra week, racking up late fees, so that I could finish all the levels.

EBD is very similar in style of gameplay to Dune 2. The structures and units are very similar to each other. The classic units are still there. The Ordos have their Deviator, the Atreides have their Sonic Tanks and the Harkonnen have the Devastators. I know there are some differences in the prices. The biggest thing is that harvesting is automatic now. They are accompanied at all times by their own personal carryall. The carryall will ferry the harvester between the refinery and the spice fields. If all of your harvesters are killed, you will get one free replacement to carry on harvesting.times by their own personal carryall. The carryall will ferry the harvester between the refinery and the spice fields. If all of your harvesters are killed, you will get one free replacement to carry on harvesting.

	04-08-2002 07:36									#24
	Full PM-box? Change here!

Harkonnens get an ornithopter too this time.

	04-08-2002 11:02									#25
	Support Apolyton

quote: Well, I guess I never even seen the original Dune game then. Was it any good?

If you enjoy Dune EBD for the fact that its Dune, the original would be worth a look. Otherwise no, as its a completely different genre of game.

	04-08-2002 16:15									#26
	Browse Apolyton AD-FREE

Here's my thoughts on Emperor - Battle for Dune:

I liked the orginal Dune series (Never playe Dune1), but in Emperor, they seem to have put in some annoyances during the games where AI fight AI (In campaign). Whenever it's the AI's turn, and the AI attacks the other aI, then you get an extra mission, like infiltrating enemy base, and such...I really hate that, it ruins the game...

Last time I had the game installed (a couple of months ago), I played as Ordos, finnished the "normal" levels, then I got to this extra mission, were you had to infiltrate enemy base, which (as I stated before) really hate...But it got even worse, I had brightness on full, but still it was hard to recognize your toops from the floor...I tried one game, but since it was impossible to actually see the enemies, I was supprise many times, and within no time, my soldiers was killed...

The next thing I did, was to try to find a file, were you can edit the strength of your soldiers (just so, I could win these extra boring missions, without trouble), but I couldn't find any, so I uninstalled the game again, after a couple of Skirmish battles...

	04-08-2002 16:23									#27
	Put an end to popups!

I bought this game recently, and if it weren't for my Morrowind addiction, I'd be playing through the campaigns right now.

If you liked Starcraft, you'll definately like EBD.

I think :\

	04-08-2002 16:41									#28
	Browse Apolyton AD-FREE

quote: Originally posted by Anunikoba If you liked Starcraft, you'll definately like EBD.

If I had the choice between Dune 2 and startcraft, it's no doubt I'll choose Dune 2...starcraft sux...