EaW Expansion Announced - WTF

Jim Raynor · Post by **Jim Raynor** » 2006-05-09 01:15pm

Star Wars Empire at War: Forces of Corruption

Following the success of Star Wars: Empire at War, the best-selling PC game of Q1 2006, LucasArts announces an expansion pack titled Star Wars Empire at War: Forces of Corruption. A widely appealing strategy game, Empire at War let gamers play the light side or the dark side in an epic Galactic Civil War. Now, for the first time ever, Star Wars Empire at War: Forces of Corruption introduces a unique point of view - the corrupt side.

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, all en route to becoming the most notorious criminal leader since Jabba the Hutt. 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. 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.

I really hope this site is wrong, because there's no way a fucking rival of Jabba's should be blowing up fleets of capital ships and seeking to build an Eclipse SSD. If that's true, then knowing LFL's policy of shoehorning in even the dumbest theme park rides or video games into canon, we're in a for another massively retarded retcon.

Gangsters are an interesting part of SW that haven't really been explored before. There are a lot of great games you can make with this idea, like a SW version of GTA, or a strategy game where you manage your criminal empire by smuggling, assassinating rivals, paying off Imperial officials to look the other way, etc. Why the hell are they using this idea for EaW, which is a military game?

VT-16 · Post by **VT-16** » 2006-05-09 01:48pm

lol

So, another Eclipse-class Star Dreadnought, eh? If anything, if that part is canon, then the production levels of civilizations in SW get another boost. ;P

And apparently another retcon. A brand new gangster, besides Jabba and Xizor, who aims to become so powerful, he could build/steal/control an Eclipse dreadnought? Oy vey.

Post by **Ghost Rider** » 2006-05-09 01:51pm

Pretty much. So now gangsters of the local system variety can make or have the resources to steal an ESSD.

VT-16 · Post by **VT-16** » 2006-05-09 02:13pm

Well, at least it strikes a blow against minimalism. 8)

Base Delta Zero · Post by **Base Delta Zero** » 2006-05-09 03:22pm

The question is... can you blow up planets with it?

nightmare · Post by **nightmare** » 2006-05-09 03:22pm

Darksaber. 'nuff said.

Noble Ire · Post by **Noble Ire** » 2006-05-09 03:32pm

You know, one of the good things the NJO did was introduce a setting and and enemy civilization that are almost perfect for usage of any number of SW video game genres, this one included. And what does LucasArts do? Simply ignore both that prospect, and uncounted others, instead creating a completely improbable and stupid-sounding adversary, subverting established canon all the way.

Good job guys. I look forward to not buying it.

VT-16 · Post by **VT-16** » 2006-05-09 03:36pm

Why, you don't wanna hang with the Zann-man, pimpin' his way across the galaxy in a suped-up Eclipse? Fo' shame!

Zac Naloen · Post by **Zac Naloen** » 2006-05-09 04:23pm

Ghost Rider wrote:Pretty much. So now gangsters of the local system variety can make or have the resources to steal an ESSD.

Not exactly, he's supposed to start as a low level pirate boss and make his way up to a gangster of warlord level proportions in the campaign. He then steals a ship called "Eclipse" they don't specify if its an eclipse class ship or a ship called eclipse.

It doesn't follow canon, but then in the EAW campaign obi-wan can survive if you play rebels so the games out of standard canon anyway.

Jim Raynor · Post by **Jim Raynor** » 2006-05-09 04:36pm

Gameplay, and certain game stories that branch off depending on how you play aren't canon. However, there usually is a definitive story from the game that is canon, and the backstories are canon as well. If they decide to make this gangster acquiring an Eclipse a major plot, then it very well could be pushed into canon.

IceHawk-181 · Post by **IceHawk-181** » 2006-05-09 05:03pm

I was singularly unimpressed with Empire at War; it looked nice and sounded as if it had promise, but failed to deliver a true strategy game. It felt more akin to yet another Star Wars Arcade game, this time with more units and better graphics.

Looking at this I find myself thinking about starting up another campaign in Rebellion with retooled TCs.

Gangsters, bah, give me KOTOR 3 or GTFO, Lucas Arts is starting to piss me off.

I mean, gangsters?

We couldn't even play as a Zaarin like character, we're stuck with Gangsters?

LeftWingExtremist · Post by **LeftWingExtremist** » 2006-05-09 07:02pm

Fuck this I'm waiting for the Clone war mod or the 40K mod.

PayBack · Post by **PayBack** » 2006-05-09 07:11pm

Yes I was almost certainly going to buy Empire at War, but then I played the demo, and seeing how both the land AND space battles restricted you following restrictive liner paths, I lost interest..

Unless the full game is different/better?

Jim Raynor · Post by **Jim Raynor** » 2006-05-09 07:19pm

PayBack wrote:Yes I was almost certainly going to buy Empire at War, but then I played the demo, and seeing how both the land AND space battles restricted you following restrictive liner paths, I lost interest..

Unless the full game is different/better?

Same with me. I was extremely excited by the trailer and the hype, but after playing the demo I didn't think the game was that great at all. There doesn't seem to be any tactics in space combat other than concentrating all your fire on a single target (you can even shoot things on the other side of a large space station!), and the "cinematic" camera was useless. I too would like to know if the full game is significantly better.

Darth Raptor · Post by **Darth Raptor** » 2006-05-09 07:21pm

Devil's Advocate: Maybe if it took place after Endor, and some Imperial admiral pawned off his fleet to retire a bazillion credits richer? Surely they didn't all have delusions of becoming the next Emperor...

Nieztchean Uber-Amoeba · Post by **Nieztchean Uber-Amoeba** » 2006-05-09 07:23pm

PayBack wrote:Yes I was almost certainly going to buy Empire at War, but then I played the demo, and seeing how both the land AND space battles restricted you following restrictive liner paths, I lost interest..

Unless the full game is different/better?

Not really. On both land and in space the maps are restrictively small and in the ground maps you can only follow 1 or 2 paths to pre-made enemy bases (you can't put buildings where you want, nor can you actually land soldiers on different altitudes of a planet, for some reason). This means that the Empire's best units (the ISD and the AT-AT) will often attack an enemy base SINGLE-FILE.

And the rebels are overpowered.

Pint0 Xtreme · Post by **Pint0 Xtreme** » 2006-05-09 07:58pm

All I want are more editing tools.

Stofsk · Post by **Stofsk** » 2006-05-09 08:55pm

Jim Raynor wrote:
PayBack wrote:Yes I was almost certainly going to buy Empire at War, but then I played the demo, and seeing how both the land AND space battles restricted you following restrictive liner paths, I lost interest..

Unless the full game is different/better?
Same with me. I was extremely excited by the trailer and the hype, but after playing the demo I didn't think the game was that great at all. There doesn't seem to be any tactics in space combat other than concentrating all your fire on a single target

Incidentally, what do you think real life fleet tactics employ? Concentrating your fire is what you're supposed to do. Having a bigger fleet automatically increases your chances.

And if you're really pissed off, I suppose there's always the Homeworld 2 Star Wars TC. I can't be bothered getting Empires at War myself.

Jim Raynor · Post by **Jim Raynor** » 2006-05-09 09:13pm

Stofsk wrote:Incidentally, what do you think real life fleet tactics employ? Concentrating your fire is what you're supposed to do. Having a bigger fleet automatically increases your chances.

I don't have a problem with focusing your fire; that's a basic of combat. My problem is that that's basically the only thing you have to do. You don't have to move your ships so you can hit a target that's being shielded by other ships, since turbolasers pass through solid objects. You don't need to turn, roll, or position your ships to take advantage of firing arcs. You don't have to worry about power distribution (beyond a single push of a button for some ships) or anything else. I got bored by the space combat in the demo after a few times because there's not much tactics involved at all. I realize it's just a game, but they could have made combat a lot more complex and engaging than they actually did.

Nieztchean Uber-Amoeba · Post by **Nieztchean Uber-Amoeba** » 2006-05-09 09:40pm

So.

You have the Clone Wars, a massive military conflict with a variety of ships and troops to use.

You have NJO, with dozens of WEG-made ships for the Rebels and a huge menacing new military power entering to galaxy they war with.

You have the Warlords period, when dozens of Imperial admirals fought eachother and the Rebels for control of the galaxy.

You have the Sith Wars, where the Republic battled endlessly the fleets and armies of the Sith.

You could even fucking use the Swarm Wars, where a weak new power attempted to destroy the embattled Alliance.

And you think, "Hey, why not follow a fucking gangster?"

Un-fucking-believable.

Jim Raynor · Post by **Jim Raynor** » 2006-05-09 10:14pm

Making an expansion for Empire at War about a fucking gangster is like making a new X-wing game about Stormtroopers.

white_rabbit · Post by **white_rabbit** » 2006-05-10 04:01am

Assuming this isn't someone pulling our leg....

I can't wait to see you all howling like bitches about the hack job they make on the SSD scaling

Mange · Post by **Mange** » 2006-05-10 04:38am

The Official Site has put up the cover and a trailer to Forces of Corruption and judging by the cover it surprisingly seems as if they got the scale of the Executor right (well, the 19 km length was established some time ago, but still. However, no shots of the Executor could be seen in the trailer). The trailer was a bit silly IMO, but it did offer a nice sequence near the end of it of the Eclipse firing its superlaser.

SW Official Site: LucasArts Unveils 2006 Star Wars Titles

Post by **K. A. Pital** » 2006-05-10 05:12am

Pirates building an Eclipse is total crap. Anyway, this "Tyber blah" guy - I don't give a damn. I want my new units from this addon, that's all. And then, there are serious mods like ROTE which I hope will come soon enough and I can play the Clone Wars then

VT-16 · Post by **VT-16** » 2006-05-10 06:20am

Looking at the trailer, I spot droidekas, StarVipers, IG-88, his IG-2000, A6 Juggernauts, Executor and Eclipse Star Dreadnoughts, some new threaded tanks that fire powerful shots, some new capital ship (Zann's?), and some other space and air units. Looks like Felucia is one of the new planets as well (thought not an overgrown area.

I like the Eclipse's firing sequence, it looks like the ray begins to fire before all its energy is properly channeled, and off-axis too.