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Platform: PC
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Dragonshard
Up
to this point, console and PC games set in the world of Dungeons and
Dragons have primarily been RPGs, as they try to be the electronic
equivalent of the classic pen and paper role-playing franchise.
Now Liquid Entertainment is doing something a little bit
different, as they combine some traditional role-playing elements with a
real-time strategy game, resulting in Dragonshard for the PC.
From the looks of it, Dragonshard is shaping up to largely have clear distinctions between its RPG and RTS facets, with some hero-oriented aspects a la Heroes of Might and Magic, and Warcraft III tossed in. The most noticeable distinction between the two schools of gaming will be seen when a player is above ground, or wandering below the surface of the earth, or in a dungeon.
Above ground, the game takes a far more RTS-like approach to play, where players can take large forces and have at it with the enemy, while building cities to help supply the war effort. |
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However,
when it comes time to head below ground, players take a small party in
to explore, fighting in a RPG setting, where they can earn experience
points, and get some loot.
While making it through the game world, players will have a number of different character-types at their disposal, including champions, captains, henchmen, and juggernauts, all the while players will have three different factions to choose from (at least when playing online against other people).
Up to this point, the Dungeons and Dragons franchise has been |
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synonymous
with role-playing. With Dragonshard
stepping away from the franchise’s roots, it will be interesting to
see how receptive fans are to this change in approach to D&D.
Mr.
Nash (March
11, 2005)
Features:
-
The First DUNGEONS & DRAGONS® Real-Time Strategy Experience -
The first D&D® game from the all-new Eberron campaign setting -
Groundbreaking game design with two levels of interconnected action:
dramatic RTS war above ground and critical RPG-styled battles in
dungeons below -
Four ranges of controllable units: powerful champions, heroic captains,
trainable henchmen, and nearly unstoppable battlefield juggernauts -
Unit development based on 'Experience Points', allowing players to
"level up" units — an added RPG twist to the classic RTS
gameplay structure - An innovative village grid system — the "Nexus System" — where choice and placement of buildings can specifically affect units’ powers - Co-op and head-to-head multiplayer modes -
Three warring factions (in multiplayer modes), each with its own
history, campaigns, unique strengths… and weaknesses -
Game story by Eberron creator Keith Baker -
A variety of threatening environments, all with the "Hyper
Terrain" feature, creating real-time terrain deformation in the
wake of unit movements |
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