New Screenshots for Armada 2526!

[SeanD]

New screenshots for this turn-based and real-time strategy blend from a lead designer of the Total War series!

Matrix Games, Tri Synergy (www.trisynergy.com) and Ntronium Games (www.ntronium.com) announce the release of a new pack of screenshots for their highly anticipated turn-based/real time strategy blend, Armada 2526.

Matrix Games is particularly excited to be working with founder and director of Ntronium Games, R.T. Smith. Mr. Smith has been creating strategy games for more than 20 years, including the original 4x space classic Armada 2525. Most recently he was the project director and lead designer for Medieval 2: Total War, having earlier served as designer and programmer on the previous Total War games.

David Heath, Director of Operations at Matrix Games, said “Armada 2526 provides an elegant balance between action and strategy. These new screenshots showcase some of the eye candy of the tactical battles and the in depth strategic layer as well.”

Shane Nestler of Tri Synergy added “We’re thrilled to be working with a long time veteran of the industry to bring gamers this exciting new release. Armada 2526 combines the addicting ‘just one more turn’ gameplay of old school strategy games together with a modern interface and the slick graphics of today’s mainstream games!”

Armada 2526 continues the great tradition of space opera games. You guide your race from its first interstellar journeys, until it becomes a mighty galactic empire. Along the way, you'll explore the galaxy, conduct research, diplomacy and trade, found new colonies, maneuver mighty star fleets, and fight epic battles. Although the game is complex, and the possible strategies endless, powerful help and advisor features help you get up to speed quickly. Unlike many games in this genre, Armada 2526 boasts a streamlined play system, providing games that can be finished in a reasonable time, and emphasizes battle and strategy over economic micro-management.

Some major features include:

Turn-Based Strategy Map - The strategy map shows the portion of the galaxy where the game takes place. Here you'll maneuver your fleets, manage your colonies, and grow your empire. The emphasis in this part of the game is thinking and planning, so you can spend as much time as you want planning your strategies, and issuing orders. When you're done, hit the "end turn" button, and your orders will be carried out simultaneously with those of other players.

Epic Space Battles - Battles can be epic affairs with more than a hundred ships on each side. They are presented to the player in their full majesty via real-time 3D rendering with glowing energy beams, shimmering shields, and spectacular explosions. The action is real-time, both to enhance the visual spectacle, and to introduce elements of tension and pressure; however, the emphasis is firmly on tactics and maneuvering formations, rather than frantic clicking on individual ships, and you always have the option of pausing the battle to issue orders. Planetary assaults are especially intense with ship to ships battles, ground battles and ground to air battles all taking place simultaneously. If the attacker doesn't complete the conquest quickly enough, the battle will continue into the next turn, giving each side the chance to throw in reinforcements.

Diplomacy - With so many players, you need a full featured diplomatic system. In Armada 2526 you can negotiate offensive and defensive alliance, non aggression pacts and trade agreements. Trade money, technology, colonies, ships and information. You can issue threats and ultimatums, or ask for favors. Friendships can be made and trust earned, or your reputation can be ruined by bullying and not honoring agreements. Negotiations proceed by a series of offers and counter offers. Hard bargaining can drive the price down, but being generous builds friendships. During negotiations, you see an animated view of your counterpart, so you know who you are dealing with, and how they feel.

Technology - There are many different technology items to research. The game system encourages you to specialize in particular areas of tech, so as you expand and meet new players, you will find that they have radically different capabilities. Many of the technologies are disruptive, and force you to radically alter your strategy and tactics to utilize them, or to cope with the lack of. You may for instance concentrate on building the biggest and best navy in the galaxy, and then watch in dismay as your ships flee from and opponent who has mastered the psychic arts, or are outmaneuvered by an adversary who has specialized in stealth or hyper space technology. You may have turned your planets into fortresses, but this won't help if they are infected by nanobots that eat defenses from the inside out, or if your opponent is impolite enough to drop an asteroid on your favorite colony.

Powerful AI - The artificial intelligence routines have been created by an expert in the field, to provide AI players that are both worthy adversaries, and opponents that are fun to play against. The A.I. has been built into the game from the beginning of development and updated to take advantage of new game features as they are added, giving the developers the maximum time to polish its behavior. This is in contrast to many games, where the AI is tacked on at the end of development. Of course the same powerful routines developed for the opponents, are also available to assist the player in managing their empire, and to offer game play advice.

Armada 2526 will be available in time for the holiday season online and at select North American retailers.

Get the screenshots here.

[elmo3]

The download link is to screenshots that are already posted in the product section.  The download is dated 10/22/09, a week ago.  Are there newer ones that should be available for download or is that it?

[SeanD]

My apologies on that, I forgot to post up the new screenshots to the downloads page. The FTP link went out with the email press release but I suppose none of you saw that (or got the email).

At any rate, the new screenshots are available from the downloads link in my original post. Enjoy!

[Wade1000]

Those are nice too. They give even more light on the game play. Thanks! Now I'm anticipatiing the game even more. I'm hoping that there will be technologies to destroy AND create; such as terraforming, creating/destroying planets and stars, super stations, halos/orbitals, Ringworlds, Sphereworlds...(something greater?)

[SeanD]

There is creation (terraforming) and plenty of destruction (ever hurl an asteroid at a planet...?). [:D]

[Wade1000]

An asteroid as a weapon is unique in recent games but I hope that's not THE ultimate anti-planet weapon. An asteroid seems kind of a stop gap measure until more advanced, high energy, wepons are researched. As far advanced creation goes, I'm hoping, like I said, for something beyond just terraforming...like creating and destroying planets and stars.

In some advanced science fiction civilizations planets are considered small backwater settlements or nature preserves. Most of their civilizations are on halo/orbitals, ringworlds, and sphereworlds. (one example: "The Culture" novel series by Iain M. Banks; the first being 'Consider Phlebas' which has a great appendices about the war and the culture of the two sides.

[ASHBERY76]

What is the strange resolution on those screenshots?

[SeanD]

1280x1024. I took those myself. I have a dual screen setup but I doubt that'd effect anything. There were two battle screenshots taken by someone else that were I think on a widescreen. I don't know what res that was.

[ASHBERY76]

The screenies are narrow so the dual screen has messed them up.

[GShock]

Time to see what the guys of Sword of the Stars plan to counter this huge release coming in the holidays. [:)]

[ypsylon]

ORIGINAL: SeanD

plenty of destruction (ever hurl an asteroid at a planet...?). [:D]

You do realize that using Mass Drivers has been outlawed by every civilized planet? [:D] (to quote B5's the one and only Londo Molari)

[Tom_Holsinger]

Could we get images of the ship design and (if those exist) the fleet/task force creation screens?

[ASHBERY76]

There is no ship design.

[Tom_Holsinger]

That is very hard to believe. Are you a beta-tester or associated with Matrix/Ntronium? If not, how do you know this?

ORIGINAL: ASHBERY76

There is no ship design.

[martok]

ORIGINAL: Tom_Holsinger

That is very hard to believe. Are you a beta-tester or associated with Matrix/Ntronium? If not, how do you know this?

ORIGINAL: ASHBERY76

There is no ship design.

Gah. While I can't find the relevant quote now (of course!), I believe Ashbery is correct. I do recall reading that there was no ship design per se, and rather that certain technologies could/would boost existing ships' abilities.

I'd be happy to be wrong about this, however; so if anyone has information contradicting what I just said, feel free!

[Tom_Holsinger]

[&o]

[Iceman]

There is no ship design. You unlock pre-designed ships with research. Bob mentioned somewhere that it was not in the scope of the game to have ship design. A matter of balance IIRC.