https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2MBi2dY ... 8KVL-JlCk4
https://silicagame.com
https://store.steampowered.com/app/1494420/Silica
Bohemia Incubator wrote:Silica is a crossover of FPS and RTS where up to 3 factions battle for control over the planet of Baltarus. Lead from above as commander, or experience the action first-hand, either alone, or with friends. Join one of two human armies, or hunt them down as the territorial aliens.
This is very interesting. It's been out on Early Access since May, and it's an honest to goodness FPS-RTS with each team having reportedly up to 12 players: 1 commander and 11 infantry. I was never attracted by the Natural Selection games, which apparently do the same thing, because they look ugly, or another way to look at this is as a thinking man's version of the recent 16-player co-op Starship Troopers: Extermination [ > ] (which I'd also like to try at some point, especially if we manage to put together a full team). This is more or less what I'd like Star Citizen's tactical aspect to eventually morph into. It's that way already if you can get 5-10 people in a team, but you have to either wait for a Dynamic Event to give you a goal and opposition, or try to take over hotspots on your own initiative as I explain in my Stanton Domination thread, or you can set up a battle with a rival org if you don't mind the extra admin overhead. Well, Silica sort of gives you all these in a more easily accessible format on a daily basis, assuming it's easy to fill the lobbies, which might not be the case at the moment from what I've heard because the game is still under development and has technical issues. The reviews tend to be middling because of those issues, but reviewers still rave about the mechanics and the aesthetics. Check the trailers: the game does look great for the genre. Unfortunately it seems to be made by just one person, though maybe that has changed since Bohemia picked it up and put some money into it.
Ultimately, this would be more interesting to me than Industrial Annihilation [ > ] if the developer committed to increasing its scope indefinitely (more players, units, structures, bigger maps etc.) As things stand I don't know his plans because I just found out about the game and haven't had time to delve into the material, or even better talk to the dev (who seems very approachable), but I doubt he plans for expanding scope. I would be thrilled to learn otherwise though.
EITHER WAY, this is a game that must be played, assuming we can fill a lobby, and the game's technical issues are ironed out, and all the content goes in. So I am keeping an eye on it on Steam, and when I feel the time is right, I'll make an Online thread, and we'll see if we can fill that lobby. If someone wants to though, you can start that thread earlier and see how many people you can get, and give us some impressions. Probably better to wait for me to give the okay though. But do what you prefer.
We could try the Starship Troopers game in the meantime. That seems to be ready to play. I'll make an Online thread when I am back in a hotel and with a stable connection.
Official Gameplay Release Trailer
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zjdi_xm ... 8KVL-JlCk4
Early Access Plans
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=azOR_gQ ... 8KVL-JlCk4
Strategy Gameplay Walkthrough (Human Faction)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fetHI0D ... 8KVL-JlCk4
YouTube playlist with 10 videos and counting: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=P ... 8KVL-JlCk4
