Gutlord Grom said:
I wouldn't say it's a fear of complexity; the industry changes and cycles, and some genres have longer times between resurgences in popularity. After all Sins of a Solar Empire came about as a dedicated multiplayer game based around a similar concept that's great, though as you mentioned, a campaign would have been nice.
Isn't Sword of the Stars in the same vein as Homeworld? It may help get your fix.
Nope. Homeworld is an RTS, Sword of the Stars is not. That's like comparing Starcraft to Civilization. Both games not only play different, but they feel different.
Sangnz said:
Seriously the Homeworld series of games by Relic (although they didn't do cataclysm) are still some of the best space based RTS games available to play with true three dimensional unit movement. Yet we have seen no one try to emulate or even better these games since the days of Homeworld 2 in 2003.
Do Devs have a fear of it being to complex to make, that there isn't a market for it?
Sins of a Solar Empire could have been the next Homeworld (although they don't allow full three dimensional movement) but was drastically let down with by having no campaign at all, although it is a brilliant game.
So what gives why did games like Homeworld vanish into memory why has no developer/publisher seen fit to try and fill this gap and stand out from the other terrestrial based RTS games out there?
Caption
systems foresou
I can give you an answer but you might not like it... Warhammer 40k happened. Ever since Relic has been making Warhammer games (Dawn of War, etc...) they've not touched any other IP except for Company of Heroes. I've grown really weary of Warhammer games, but there's not much I can do about it. This forum is rife with Warhammer fanboys.
I'm in the same boat as you, though. We're long overdue for a Homeworld sequel. With modern graphics it would be absolutely stunning.
Also, to anyone saying it wouldn't sell, you just have to look at the first Homeworld. It came out in a time where 2D RTS' were dominant. StarCraft was still going strong. Homeworld came out and garnered the collective holy shit of the entire PC market. It's not so different today. Fully 3D RTS games are relatively unkown to must. You'd be surprised at how many people haven't played Homeworld.
The Homeworld universe is rife with lore and depth. There's a LOT of potential; not just for RTS games, but other types as well. If Relic were to start making a Homeworld, they would likely pull it off. It's simple, eyegasmic trailers coupled with favorable previews will help expose the game. Great reviews will sustain the sales and re-introduce the brand.
The nature of 3D RTS games is such that they don't require massive budgets to produce. That means that more of the budget could be spent on exposing the game. The only real downfall is the fact that it wouldn't work very well on consoles. It's up to the console makers to make the damn things compatible with a keyboard and mouse (PS3 aside).
PS: To anyone who hasn't touched Homeworld, I suggest you give it a try. The musical score is simply staggeringly good. Everything else about it is just as well made.
