Is this Startopia the remaster or a new Startopia sequel?

[Froz7y]

^

[Kunovega]

And just to note: This also isn't a sequel, remake or franchise continuation of "Spacebase DF9" either, which is yet another spacestation management game.

But sure, it shares a single word in the title and is in the same genre. It's just no one loved "Spacebase" while everyone remembers "Startopia" with fond memories.

There aren't a lot, but there are other spacestation management games, this new one is just borrowing two words from two of them for its name.

[Necroscourge]

This is essentially an IP grab, the original developer of Startopia (and the owner of the copyright) is essentially out of business. Kalypso is generally infamous for buying/remaking old IPs but making them just different enough to avoid a lawsuit. I remember when Dungeons 1 came out and everybody was shocked that they dared trump it up as a Dungeon Keeper remake; which is another franchise they started by taking another companies IP and making it just different enough to be legal.

As everybody else has pointed out, there is nothing here from the old game besides the concept of building your facilities in a curved space-station. All the aliens are different, the buildings are different, and the AI assistant from the last game was replaced with a terrible GLADOS voice. Yuck.

[Shalmendo]

I think this game qualifies as a 'spiritual successor'. Not the same thing, not a sequel, not even the original company, but definitely a 'bring back this kind of gameplay' type of project.

[[BHA] Parazac]

oh, so its not a remake and not made by the same team as the original...

then at this pricing point its just not worth it for me, removing from my wish list.

[Froz7y]

Dang, so that means no sexy women like the old Startopia. What a joke the gaming industry has become.

[Hangfire]

So, if I own Startopia (which I do), and bought Starbace Startopia (which I might, but Evil Genius comes out a few days later).
Would the strategies and frustrations I had with the first be equal and recognisable in the second? That new technology comes from research instead of attracting new races (what ever they are called / skinned) does not a new game make.

So whats new/improved? As an old DK player I loved to turtle, spending hours on a map. Any remakes of that formula have been zerg rushes. If this is 'Cola' with no added sugar am I getting a horrible sharp saccharine aftertaste, or a full bodied extra caffeine hit of Max?

[Neuropozyne]

Too bad it is not a remake. I love the original alien races and the crazy music. But I will surely try this "inspired" creation, for it looks very fun in its own way.

[Shalmendo]

Originally posted by Gravediggy:

Too bad it is not a remake. I love the original alien races and the crazy music. But I will surely try this "inspired" creation, for it looks very fun in its own way.

This is pretty much why I purchased my own copy. It's not the original, and the original devs don't seem to be involved, but just like when all those dungeon keeper-alike games came out, it's fun to see what this new dev is doing with the same basic idea and how they implement it. I'm curious what the story will be, and how these new alien races will work out. Hopefully they balance the AI's commentary to be less 'angry teenager insults' and more witty commentary.

[Jaggid Edje]

Thank you to everyone who gave solid information in this thread. I came here specifically because I had the same question as the OP and y'all have been incredibly thorough in answering it.

[Shalmendo]

Originally posted by Jaggid Edje:

Thank you to everyone who gave solid information in this thread. I came here specifically because I had the same question as the OP and y'all have been incredibly thorough in answering it.

Not very evil of us, was it? No matter, I'll make up for that on march 30th.

[Froz7y]

Originally posted by Gravediggy:

Too bad it is not a remake. I love the original alien races and the crazy music. But I will surely try this "inspired" creation, for it looks very fun in its own way.

Its for Ages +9... i think this is a kids game, not that matured satirical game we had before.

[Nosphoros]

So its basically a remake , but with some different elements to avoid legal issues.

[Freeky]

Kalypso’s ‘Spacebase Startopia’ is not a remake, nor a sequel to the original game ‘Startopia’ released by publisher Eidos and English developer Mucky Foot in 1998.

Though it is a brand-new game developed on the latest technology, developer Realmforge Studios has been truly inspired by the original ‘Startopia’ and thus closed a cooperation agreement with the original game designer, Guy Simmons - owner of the game development studio Little Planet Ltd. and intellectual properties rights to the original ‘Startopia’ game in succession of Mucky Foot.

Kalypso Media and Realmforge Studios own all the rights necessary to bring an awesome game experience to strategy gamers worldwide with ‘Spacebase Startopia’.

[TurboQuest]

Originally posted by Kunovega:

Since this question seems to confuse so many people, let's go over some of these words:

While not where I was expecting to find this, I've always wanted to know the proper difference between all those terms so thanks for teaching me something today!

[Kunovega]

Originally posted by Freeky:

Kalypso’s ‘Spacebase Startopia’ is not a remake, nor a sequel to the original game ‘Startopia’ released by publisher Eidos and English developer Mucky Foot in 1998.

Thank you, I keep saying this and people still tell me I'm wrong.

Though it is a brand-new game developed on the latest technology, developer Realmforge Studios has been truly inspired by the original ‘Startopia’

Realmforge has in my experience been a reliable and good developer. If anyone can make a good game inspired by another I trust Realmforge to do it.

I hope no one took anything I've said so far as anything against Realmforge. Both games can be fantastic in their own way. They are simply different, that doesn't translate to "bad"

and thus closed a cooperation agreement with the original game designer, Guy Simmons - owner of the game development studio Little Planet Ltd. and intellectual properties rights to the original ‘Startopia’ game in succession of Mucky Foot.

Kalypso Media and Realmforge Studios own all the rights necessary to bring an awesome game experience to strategy gamers worldwide with ‘Spacebase Startopia’.

Good to know there's an agreement in place. I think a lot of people are unaware of the difference between trademark and copyright and that one can be shared or used without the other.