Distant Worlds: Universe Announced!

[Erik Rutins]

A battle scene during testing, from Jeeves:

[tjhkkr]

The resource and the tech-tree stuff is great. Thank you! [8D]

[feygan]

So an announcement to the press on the official release date and price is due in the next two days, and as there has been zero mention of any further delays then the expansion will be available to purchase at most 16 days later. How does any product stand a chance of real commercial success when it has barely two weeks notice before hitting the shelves?

Or is there a further delay for release? (which I honestly do not mind if it means less bugs.) However it would mean yet another 11th hour notification on such a delay?

[Icemania]

Appreciate the screenshots Erik, some interesting material there!

[ASHBERY76]

It's interesting seeing that modded colonization tree.It might help the A.I colonize more planet types because from what I see A.I research baring weapon focus policy focus is just random.

[Icemania]

ORIGINAL: Erik Rutins

ORIGINAL: Icemania
I really hope the Shaktur Dominion are serious bad asses (e.g. like the Borg in Star Trek Armada 3) and this game is much more difficult. I want to get slaughtered in my first Universe game ...

Well, I certainly did but YMMV and we did tone them down a tad since then but they can still kick butt. [8D]

Can anything more be revealed about general experiences with difficulty and Universe? i.e. how significant is the change from Shadows? Hopefully your most experienced testers on Extreme are now losing games where there is an equal start?

[Erik Rutins]

Ok, so here's some info:

tm.asp?m=3610056

Let me expand upon this.

Distant Worlds: Universe will release through our Online Store as well as, for the first time, through Steam. As this includes both the new Universe expansion with greatly expanded modding support and the Ancient Galaxy storyline plus all previous releases, it will give new customers and existing customers a unified installation for future support and modding.

The base price of Distant Worlds: Universe will be $59.99 Download / $74.99 Physical. The Physical version is only available through our store and includes an updated and full color printed Distant Worlds series game manual.

For the release, it will be available at a pre-order price of $49.99 Download / $64.99 physical. This will be the pre-order price through Steam. As we don't do pre-orders through our own store, this will be our release price as well, with a post-release promotional period as with past Distant Worlds releases that allows early adopters to get the game for a lower price, after which it will revert to the permanent $59.99 / $74.99 price level.

We will also be offering existing customers a discount based on what parts of the series they own. It's a $10 discount per release, so if you own everything that's been released so far (Distant Worlds + Return of the Shakturi + Legends + Shadows) then during the post-release promotion period, your price to upgrade to Universe would be $9.99 Download or $24.99 Physical ($49.99 or $64.99 - $40 discount for four previous releases). There will be a page on our site where you can get the upgrade discount coupon. This upgrade will be available through our store only, we don't have a way of doing this through Steam. All you will need to get the upgrade coupon is the serial number for each release.

The release will be on May 23rd.

We plan for there to be one more Shadows update, but all future modding/feature/performance improvements will be based on the Universe level.

Regards,

- Erik

[Erik Rutins]

ORIGINAL: Icemania
Can anything more be revealed about general experiences with difficulty and Universe? i.e. how significant is the change from Shadows? Hopefully your most experienced testers on Extreme are now losing games where there is an equal start?

The AI has certainly been improved as it has with each release, but I think the modding capabilities will also open up difficulty customization to a great degree beyond what was possible before. With that said, in most games once a player is experienced, beating the AI when all things are equal is very likely. I can only speak for myself and say that the game can beat me on the Extreme level.

Regards,

- Erik

[Cauldyth]

Ooooh, can everyone shut up about getting it on Steam now? [:D]

Shame we can't get the discounted version through steam though. Can we buy from your store and then register it on Steam?

[deadfolk]

That's great news, both for players and the game. And extra points for the very reasonable upgrade price.

One little thing, however...although you said we cannot upgrade through Steam, how about giving people who upgrade through the store Steam keys? Then everyone wins.

Edit: Just realised that's pretty much what Cauldyth already said. Reading comprehension ftw!

[FingNewGuy]

YAY!!![&o]

[Erik Rutins]

Yes, if you purchase/upgrade through our store we will offer a Steam key as well. We and Elliot earn the most revenue when you purchase directly through us, but we want to make DW available to the larger community and many new players as well, while offering the most flexibility to our existing community. There will be a page on our site to use your Universe serial number to retrieve a Steam key after you purchase Universe.

Regards,

- Erik

[deadfolk]

Okay, it's official - you guys rock!

[Cauldyth]

Woo!

[Veloxi]

If I was physically in your presence right now, Erik, I'd be giving you the biggest hug ever. Such awesome news.

[DMan777]

ORIGINAL: Veloxi

If I was physically in your presence right now, Erik, I'd be giving you the biggest hug ever. Such awesome news.

I'm not entirely certain you'd stop at a hug, V.

[hewwo]

YES! ON STEAM!!!! I'm happy:)

[RICO7878]

Awesome news! Will def spread the word and can't wait till next week!!!

[FireLion1983]

Being on Steam is gonna open up so many doors for this game; well done!

[Icemania]

ORIGINAL: Icemania
... then I'll sing from the rooftops.

I'm currently on the rooftop doing this ...