Project Nomads

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Project Nomads

Developer(s)	Radon Labs
Publisher(s)	CDV Freeverse Software (Mac version)
Engine	Nebula Device
Release date(s)	2002
Genre(s)	Shooter/Strategy hybrid
Mode(s)	Single player, Multiplayer
Rating(s)	ELSPA: 11+
Platform(s)	Mac OS X, Windows
Input	Keyboard

Project Nomads is a computer game by Radon Labs released in 2002. It is set on the fictional planet Aeres, a fantastic world of gigantic floating islands, which are the remnants of the planet from before it exploded. After Aeres broke apart, the few surviving inhabitants settled on the drifting fragments of the planet. You are a nomad, a restless soul forever in pursuit of adventure. You wander across the planet on your island, discovering mysterious artifacts and exploring the ruins of the long dead race of Master Builders. The only place to fall to is the Sea of Flames, the very bottom level of this new world.

The majority of the game is spent on the player's floating island, which is exactly as it sounds. The player will use artifacts to create structures on the island. Blue artifacts can be used to build, and rebuild a structure after it is demolished. Red artifacts have only one use, and are lost after the destruction of the building created. A player can find both types (red are the most common) in levels, some are given, some are hidden. The structure created depends on the artifact. It could be a powerplant to produce energy for your island, or gun towers to defend it, or even a tower for navigation. Building is simple, the player selects an artifact stored in his or her belt. Then the player selects the part of the island where the structure will be placed (certain structures, such as hangars, are limited to certain spots on the island). Also, a building cannot be created if the player's character is standing in the way. The island has energy, this energy is used for things like construction, or operating buildings on the island such as the gun towers, or repairs. The Island also has health, which is represented by the state of a player's lighthouse. If the island's health is low, and the player cannot repair the lighthouse in time, the island will collapse and plummet.

The island structures will be different depending on the character chosen by the player. The structures used by the character Susie, for example, look similar to plants (example- gun tower resembles a mushroom). Goliath's buildings, however, appear to very high tech (gun tower looks like a cannon on a turret). The player's character choice also affects the strategy the player will employ. For example The guns fired by Goliath's island are slow moving, but very powerful. The largest threat to a player using Goliath would be swift enemies, such as enemy fighters. Meanwhile, a player using Goliath would have an easier time when under attack by enemy towers or Islands.

Certain buildings, such as hangars, or gun turrets, can be directly controlled by the player. The player simply presses the appropriate key, and he or she will take control of one of those structures. Multiple presses of key will result in switching to different defensive buildings. Taking control of one of these buildings allows the player to attack enemies that are the most dangerous to the Island first, or use a fighter to attack them before they can attack the Island.

The enemies a player will encounter include the Sentinels and the Skrits. The Skrits are large insects, which will try to harm a player by approaching him or her, and exploding, releasing a toxic gas. There are Skrits that walk on the ground, and Skrits that fly, both are a threat to the player and that player's island. Unlike the Skrits, the Sentinels fight with machines. The Sentinels have some of the same weapons as the player, such as armed islands, and fighter planes.