default header

MOST WANTED

MOST WANTED: Dune: Awakening (PC|XS|PS5)

Moderator: JC Denton

MOST WANTED: Dune: Awakening (PC|XS|PS5)

Unread postby icycalm » 24 Aug 2022 02:26

https://dunegames.com

https://store.steampowered.com/app/1172 ... _Awakening

It's full-loot PVP MMO survival-builder, and I was super-hyped at first until something told me to look at the developer, and it's Funcom who makes Conan Exiles. Now that game has many positives, but the small server pop caps and irregular wipe schedule made that game basically unplayable to us the couple of times we tried playing it, so I am not hopeful. Moreover, since this is coming to consoles from day 1 apparently, I don't expect them to try to scale up their servers. It could well be a dumbed-down version of Conan Exiles, which would be terrible given how much could be done with the franchise. We'll see I guess. Certainly one to keep an eye on.

Image

Image

Image

Nothing to see but a cutscene so far.

Announcement Trailer
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=anZtoPo ... XVyolQO3wj

Image

TBA.


Edit: https://www.polygon.com/23318562/dune-a ... ncom-conan

Austen Goslin wrote:the game will place thousands of players at once on a shared version of Arrakis, tasking them with building their own shelters, and later bases and and factions. Players can explore the world using Dune’s various vehicles, find hidden treasure before sandstorms change the game-world and even use harvesters to gather spice. Of course, when you’re harvesting in-game both the sandworms and other player factions will be on their way to stop you.


Now we're talking. This sounds like FP4X rather than survival-builder. Basically a new Last Oasis [ > ] set in a cooler world. I am sold!
User avatar
icycalm
Hyperborean
 
Joined: 28 Mar 2006 00:08
Location: Tenerife, Canary Islands

Unread postby icycalm » 17 Sep 2022 01:00

MOST WANTED: Dune: Awakening
https://www.patreon.com/posts/72084955

Image

icycalm wrote:When I realized however that the servers here would accommodate "thousands" of players, the game instantly shot to near the top of my most wanted list for 2023...
User avatar
icycalm
Hyperborean
 
Joined: 28 Mar 2006 00:08
Location: Tenerife, Canary Islands

Unread postby icycalm » 22 Sep 2022 19:43

Artwork Drop #5: Defenses activated
https://steamcommunity.com/games/117271 ... 5649856840

Image

Protecting its people and stores of spice, at the vanguard of Arrakeen’s defenses are powerful las-cannons mounted on towering plascrete bulwarks capable of slicing an attack ship in half.

The concept art being revealed is very promising. If all this stuff makes it into the game, it must end up quite a complex game.
User avatar
icycalm
Hyperborean
 
Joined: 28 Mar 2006 00:08
Location: Tenerife, Canary Islands

Unread postby icycalm » 13 Dec 2022 07:08

So we finally got footage of this, and it looks... pretty damn great. I can't help but think back to Dune II in 1992. From singleplayer real-time strategy to massively-multiplayer first-person 4X in 30 years. What an incredible journey for this franchise that churns out far better videogames than novels or movies.

Some commentary, based on this info dump:

  • The world sounds large, and with sizeable towns. The towns are new to the genre. Atlas purported to have them, but they were just 20 buildings with 10 NPCs. It was basically a joke. LiF sort of had a "town", but it was just a safe zone with player holdings. Didn't feel like a town. Rust has nothing. If they manage to have real-feeling towns, with presumably no PVP allowed, it will feel like Star Citizen.

  • Star Citizen has spoiled me and now I want the entire planet. Anything less, bounded by invisible walls, will feel like kind of a disappointment. After all, the original version of Atlas featured an entire planet, so this has been done in the genre before.

  • They seem to be leaning heavily into NPCs from the books and movies, and story/lore etc. That's one aspect that's brand-new to the genre. Atlas did a tiny bit of it. Rust is trying, but failing. This is new.

  • Deep character creation, specialization, leveling etc. Atlas had it but it was bunk because you could respec at any time. LiF also had it, and there it was hardcore. So this isn't new, but it sounds like it might go deeper than others have. And remember that LiF's combat was ass, whereas Conan's was pretty good, so this will probably be good too.

  • It sounds like you can level up your guild to Minor House, and then ally with the Great Houses which will be AI-controlled. It's a good way to blend MMO with a narrative. Again like kind of what Star Citizen is doing. You can build huge orgs but you can't control the UEE after all, and it's the latter that the devs use to push the narrative forward (Squadron 42 will be all about the UEE).

  • For the building system they're going with prefabs like LiF (and eventually Star Citizen), not Minecraft building like Rust, Atlas and Starbase. It's the best choice to maintain consistency with the licensed setting, and it just plain looks better. It all depends on how many pieces there are to build. LiF had many, and you did get a lot of modularity in the walls and such, so the prefabs never bothered me. It never felt like I didn't have enough stuff to build, and I never missed being able to design everything. So the question is how well does this game do in comparison? We don't know the answer yet because they've shown nothing of the building system.

  • One thing I don't like off the bat is that your bases appear to be "temporary outposts". That sounds like Last Oasis to me, and while that feature may have worked in that game, it surely renders bases less important, and therefore probably less complex. If the base is temporary I hardly see any reason to bother making it big or cool or anything. They will be utilitarian and not the focus of anything. If I am not mistaken, they even call them "storm shelters" in this press release. But if you cannot permanently conquer territory in this game, first of all it might not be FP4X at all (because conquered territory is what turns a survival-builder into FP4X), and second of all it might not be very fun. It starts to veer towards PlanetSide 2 territory in that case. And while PS2 was terrific for 2012 standards, it's not 2012 anymore.

  • One saving grace is that they seem to place a lot of emphasis on trade and money, and rising up the ranks of Houses in this way. Also, if bases are temporary, then getting offline raided becomes less of an issue—and it's a huge issue in these games. So you solve the issue by sacrificing elaborate base-building and a sense of conquest—and a sense of home. But maybe the trading wheeling and dealing and competing for House ranks, and hanging out in towns, make up for it. I am imagining a sort of PlaneSide situation where the war keeps going 24/7, but since you have no permanent home, you can hop on whenever you want with your friends, throw up a quick base, loot some ruins or run some raids, raise up your House's rank, and then log off. And just play whenever you want without having to worry 24/7. A sort of PlanetSide 3 with limited base-building. It COULD work. If all the other aspects are great, it could work, and would certainly be far more popular with average people who can't deal with conquest etc. Would probably not be as good as the other FP4X games, but it could still be good.

  • There also seems to be some automation here! You create "an efficient harvesting operation and chain of production". That's all the rage in these games these days, with Rust adding some automation soon, Starbase having planned to add whole factories before development was frozen, and Star Citizen of course planning to add it as they plan to add everything.

The info dump is just a general overview, that's why it doesn't go into details, but it seems like they'll be sharing details over the coming months, and I will analyze all of it in-depth. Sign up for the beta on the official site because we're playing this in beta and not dropping full whack if it's not good enough to play long-term.

https://steamcommunity.com/games/117271 ... 2271589347

Funcom wrote:Witness the Vastness of Arrakis in the Dune: Awakening Pre-Alpha Teaser Trailer!
Get a First In-Game Look at Dune: Awakening in the Trailer that Premiered at The Game Awards!

Hello Sleepers,

We are thrilled to finally give you all this first glimpse of Dune: Awakening. Tighten your stillsuit and let Arrakis wash over you in our gameplay teaser trailer:

Dune: Awakening - Pre-Alpha Teaser Trailer
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ixq-y_r ... XVyolQO3wj

Image

With Dune: Awakening, we are weaving together Open World Survival and MMO elements into a Dune tapestry that brings Frank Herbert's sci-fi masterpiece to life in a completely unique way.

In Dune: Awakening you strive to survive on the most dangerous planet in the universe alongside thousands of other players. Explore your role and identity while experiencing an epic personal journey, from searching for water and building shelters against storms to controlling the flow of spice in the top echelons of Arrakis.

Here’s a quick word from Joel Bylos, Chief Creative Officer at Funcom and Creative Director on Dune: Awakening. "Working with a universe as rich and expansive as Dune is the perfect fit for Funcom's drive to create compelling multiplayer open worlds. With Dune: Awakening, we're trying to push the boundaries of what people expect in the Survival space - and I can't wait until we can get it into your hands."

Starting today, you will be able to read all the latest Dune: Awakening news on the updated website.

Game Overview

To show you the true scope of the game before we get into features in depth, we’ve prepared an overview which is also available on the website.

Your Dune — Your Journey

Image

An Open World Survival MMO

Rise from survival to dominance in a vast and seamless Arrakis shared by thousands of players. Dune: Awakening combines the grit and creativity of survival games with the social interactivity of a large, persistent multiplayer game to create a unique and ambitious Open World Survival MMO.

Awaken The Sleeper

Your journey begins on Arrakis, alone on the deadliest planet in the universe. Follow your story throughout Dune - meeting characters from the movies and books. Discover new allies and enemies and exploit your relationships to uncover the mystery that lies just beneath the surface of the sands.

Choose Your Identity

Craft your identity and build your prowess, from deep character creation to skills and abilities that develop the more you use them. Declare your loyalties by what you wear and become known by what you do, whether you are a specialized master or multi-talented adept.

A Vast, Deadly Arrakis

Image

Explore Arrakis Like Never Before

Dune: Awakening brings the epic landscapes of Arrakis to vivid life. Explore deep canyons pockmarked with caves, ancient underground Ecology Labs, boundless rolling dunes, and beyond. Wander the bustling villages before braving the lawless and ever-changing deep desert, where bandits seek easy prey.

An Ever-Changing World

Beyond The Shield Wall, massive Coriolis storms regularly alter the landscape and uncover new secrets, from valuable natural resources to crashed ships and ancient testing stations. When the dust settles, the race is on. Scout the fresh new land and uncover the secrets of the sands.

Survive the Deadliest Planet in the Universe

On Arrakis, water is life. Learn to find it and exercise water discipline by maintaining your stillsuit. Choose where to craft and develop your shelter to survive sun and sandstorms. Weigh each step in the open desert against the risk of sandworms.

Battle for Dominance

Image

Combined Arms

Engage in epic 3rd person combat, from deadly ambushes to massive organic battles, with fast-paced interplay between infantry, ground, and flying vehicles. Utilize everything at your disposal, from Holtzman gadgets to an array of ranged firearms. Stretch the limits of human potential using melee techniques and other abilities taught by the Great Schools of the Imperium.

Control the Spice

Answer the call of massive spice blows to harvest the most valuable resource in the universe. Gather players for a foray into the deep desert or scavenge what you can on the sidelines. Sell spice on the exchange or consume it to expand your potential at the cost of addiction.

Control Arrakis

Create a guild and grow it into a House Minor by allying yourself with one of the Great Houses. Rise above your rivals and assert economic dominance by controlling valuable resources. Like the sands, power is ever shifting.

A Path to Prosperity

Image

From Shelter to Fortress

Create your base, choosing each building piece from a range of distinct styles. Find solid rock away from roaming sandworms and raise temporary outposts for your interests beyond The Shield Wall.

Craft Your Way to the Top

Craft weapons, armor, vehicles, attachments, modifications, and much more. Hone your crafting skills and acquire the rarest schematics. Creating an efficient harvesting operation and chain of production to make it big on the exchange will grant you wealth and power but also powerful enemies.
User avatar
icycalm
Hyperborean
 
Joined: 28 Mar 2006 00:08
Location: Tenerife, Canary Islands

Unread postby icycalm » 09 Feb 2023 20:26

Shigawire Reels – Part 1
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ztkXw5meZbM

Image

Looks like they'll be doling out info in tiny 30-second videos, like they did with the concept arts before they put out the play footage trailer.
User avatar
icycalm
Hyperborean
 
Joined: 28 Mar 2006 00:08
Location: Tenerife, Canary Islands

Unread postby icycalm » 16 Feb 2023 23:35

Shigawire Reels - Part 2
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9z30sAzn8K0

Image

Tiny look at the building system and a couple of vehicles. It does look like structures might be permanent if built on solid rock.

Everything looks good so far.
User avatar
icycalm
Hyperborean
 
Joined: 28 Mar 2006 00:08
Location: Tenerife, Canary Islands

Unread postby icycalm » 16 Feb 2023 23:38

Interesting take from the comments to the video:

Omega wrote:The tracked dune buggy and bike shown in the video would attract a sand worm in seconds and although I'm sure these are early game methods of getting about before potentially obtaining an Ornithopter, in my opinion their design makes no sense given the threats found on Arrakis. If one can call a worm with a 'thumper' or by pounding the sand with your fist or stepping on the wrong type of sand, then one of these vehicles would be the death of us in quick-time.

We've seen in the films and books that the Baron Harkonnen and the Imperial Sardaukar have Anti-Grav technology, so perhaps the Developers could design more interesting hover/anti-grav bikes and buggies. Our vehicles should not make contact with the ground directly due to the threat that would pose from Shai Hulud.

Furthermore, one of the most popular features of MMOs are 'Mounts' which are challenging to implement in this game given the setting and it's lore from the books. Using anti-grav vehicles with distinguishable & customizable features between each House/faction will create some variety in what players travel in. I also hope there will be differences between the Ornithopters we can use depending on which House/faction we align with and what upgrades we purchase as part of progression within the game.

What are your thoughts folks?
User avatar
icycalm
Hyperborean
 
Joined: 28 Mar 2006 00:08
Location: Tenerife, Canary Islands

Re: MOST WANTED: Dune: Awakening (PC|XS|PS5)

Unread postby icycalm » 08 Jun 2023 16:57

Image

Developer Update 1 – Art of Arrakis
https://steamcommunity.com/games/117271 ... 5024425066

Image

Image

Finally a proper full update. Tons of pics, don't miss.

One question I am left with is if their game will feature the entire planet. Because my Battlegrounds will, later this year.
User avatar
icycalm
Hyperborean
 
Joined: 28 Mar 2006 00:08
Location: Tenerife, Canary Islands

Re: MOST WANTED: Dune: Awakening (PC|XS|PS5)

Unread postby icycalm » 07 Jul 2023 04:28

Exclusive Interview and Gameplay Footage | PC Gaming Show 2023
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=flzahpG6U0k

Image

This is basically the blowout video we've been looking for. The game looks terrific, and I couldn't help but think that this planet belongs in the Star Citizen universe and should be just bought by CIG and plunked right into their game. They are basically doing all the things that CIG is also working towards. But since their ambitions are lower, and since they only have one planet, they can get there faster. Note also that... there are no spacecraft in this game. It doesn't even look like you can get into orbit. No water either. No cities that they've shown so far. So all these things make the game a lot simpler to make.

Some more details were revealed more recently in an interview to a Korean site.

[Dev Interview] Expanded world from the original, Dune: Awakening
https://www.invenglobal.com/articles/18 ... -awakening

Doohyun "Biit" Lee wrote:How’s the game universe established compared to the original novel and recent movie?

We’re very invested in building our universe from the vision of the books and the Dune movie. Visually we are very close to the style of the movie though of course the movie is very focused on characters and limited spaces, whereas we are building a larger world, so we have to expand far beyond the scope of the movie and even the DUNE from the books.

For the game, we have chosen to take an Alt History approach, so while the Universe of the IP and Movie is identical to a point, we also have a moment where the story changes and becomes different for us. This allows us the freedom to give players more of a role to shape the world.


Doohyun "Biit" Lee wrote:How’s Dune: Awakening different from previous Funcom games?

I think perhaps the largest difference between Dune: Awakening and our previous games is our focus on the complex sandbox mechanics that make up the game. We have added vehicles with complex physics simulations, we are creating shooting mechanics for the first time and we need all of this to function seamlessly in a multiplayer world. I think just the ability to pilot an Ornithopter and explore the various corners of Arrakis is quite different to our other games.


This is where he should have asked if they're rendering the entire planet or if the play area is bounded by invisible walls. But since he's a bad interviewer, and I am sure also a bad player, it didn't occur to him.
User avatar
icycalm
Hyperborean
 
Joined: 28 Mar 2006 00:08
Location: Tenerife, Canary Islands


Return to MOST WANTED