So this is essentially just a Dune-skinned Command & Conquer?

[kaMMakaZZi9]

Is the game any good? How much DLC are the developers planning to add?

[Connatic]

It is definitely NOT a traditional RTS. It's a 4x/RTS hybrid. Nothing like Command and Conquer. I love it personally.

As far as DLC, we can only assume more factions if this game keeps making money. No word on anything else.

[Wilfred Owen]

Originally posted by kaMMakaZZi9:

Is the game any good? How much DLC are the developers planning to add?

You haven't played the game, right???

[kaMMakaZZi9]

No that is why I am trying to get a sense what it is like.

[vjeldan]

That statement is incredibly wrong.

* Once upon a time, there was a Dune-themed rts game from westwood, which was the predecessor to the Command&Conquer series. That game indeed played a lot like Command&Conquer. That game also took alot of liberty with the setting: for example they added a faction that isn't in the original books. This isnt that game. There also were other dune games in the past in other genres.

* This game does not at all play like Command&Conquer. It is a strategy game with a map, there are units you can control by clicking, fighting is an option. Thats about all similarities. This game plays far slower and more methodical. You expand from region to region (depending on faction in different patterns) and try to reach one of multiple victory conditions. One of them is to defeat all other factions, but that is usually the most difficult to achieve. While battles are important to gain and hold territory, victory will most probably depend on control of the market, assassination projects or influence in the landsraad. You juggle your options on different ways to achieve victory and try to sabotage and prevent your enemies from reaching a victory condition first. Its more like an expanded board game in real time.

* I think this game is good. But you may want to check first if this style of gameplay is something you enjoy. Do not expect to storm the enemy with your first build units and win. They will die in the desert before they even reach anyone, if the worms don't eat them first. You will need patience. This is not in any way similar to C&C.

* I believe they will add more optional factions via DLC. It is not known how many that will be.

[Wilfred Owen]

Originally posted by kaMMakaZZi9:

No that is why I am trying to get a sense what it is like.

I was responding to the title of the thread.

[View The Phenom]

Originally posted by kaMMakaZZi9:

Is the game any good? How much DLC are the developers planning to add?

It's significantly less interesting than Command and Conquer. Think RTS-lite with some bare-bones 4X elements and that's basically this game. It's a RTS/4X hybrid that does neither side very well.

If you're fine with a basic game to kill some time, buy it. If you want something with more meat on the bone, I would recommend finding another game. It seems interesting until you dig into things, then realize the mechanics are fairly shallow overall.

[IonizedMercury]

Originally posted by View The Phenom:

Originally posted by kaMMakaZZi9:

Is the game any good? How much DLC are the developers planning to add?

It's significantly less interesting than Command and Conquer. Think RTS-lite with some bare-bones 4X elements and that's basically this game. It's a RTS/4X hybrid that does neither side very well.

It's way more interesting than Command and Conquer. Command and Conquer did nothing very well because it was such an early title and had a ton of deficits everywhere.

[Soho]

Originally posted by View The Phenom:

It's significantly less interesting than Command and Conquer

Absolutely disagree with this statement- am of the opinion that we see those old C&C games through rose-tinted glasses... play them now and see how un-interesting they are (the cheesy cut-scenes, the god-awful pacing and pathing, the imbalance) ... Dune:Spice Wars is very interesting, six houses with the original game (that's seven then if you get the DLC) each house has 4 councilors, if you only played one game with every house/councilor combination that's 30 games where every game would be different, not to mention the maps are procedural-generated so every time you play the map is different (the polar sink is in the center, but besides that it is different every time). It is really quite beautiful how the mechanics fit together, it is a solid real-time-strategy with solid 4x elements, I think it is just your opinion that they are 'lite' or 'bare bones' or that either are not done well... all of it together is done extremely well

Please list off some games that do any of this "better" and we can compare - I have ~800 hours in this game, not too many other RTS titles that I would play that much/enjoy that much, but if you insist they are out there, let's hear about them and why they are better

Originally posted by View The Phenom:

If you want something with more meat on the bone, I would recommend finding another game. It seems interesting until you dig into things, then realize the mechanics are fairly shallow overall

Again, totally disagree with these opinions, not helpful for the OP

Name some of the other games!

I've dug about 800 hours into "things" and what I have realized is that the mechanics of Dune:Spice Wars are deep and rewarding... so we have had a very different experience with this game. I am curious what games you enjoy more than this one and will compare my opinion

RTS titles I would go back and play (and actually still do):

1. Warcraft III: TFT (best of all time, hands down... too bad they ruined it with a reskin)
2. Starcraft: Brood War (close second)
3. Company of Heroes 2 (since they fixed everything, it beats #1 and remains better than #3... probably playing this on steam right now)
4. Startcraft 2 (I mean, it is the e-sports standard... no other title approaches this level of polish. If not playing it, pretty fun still to watch it)
5. at the present moment, it is Dune:Spice Wars. If there is some title I missed or forgot about, I would love to hear about it. New DLC and rulesets? Great reason to go back to this title, or play it for the 1st time. Watch some Youtubes of multiplayer (Turin has really good ones)

This is my opinion/taste, I respect that others might have some different preference, I would like to hear specifics though not just "This game is teh suxzor, play other game now git gud"

[Allah Gold]

"Dune-skinned Command & Conquer" That's literally describing Dune 2000. This game is nothing like Dune 2000. This is closer to Civilization rather than C&C, you control 10-15 units at most.

[deguais]

Tell me that you haven't played the game without telling me you haven't played the game

[Wintermist]

How you play it is more like Europa Universalis in style, but way, way less complexity. It's a smooth experience, easy to learn but still offers strategy and tactics. You don't have to manage much diplomacy here, it's more like you manage your territories and try to win a map by different win conditions.

What fighting there is are won more by planning and awareness than it has anything to do with being a fast clicker.