Dune 2000
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| Dune 2000 | |
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| Developer(s) | Intelligent Games and Westwood Studios |
| Publisher(s) | Virgin Interactive, Electronic Arts, Inc., Sold Out Sales & Marketing Ltd. |
| Latest version | 1.06 (1998-12-17) |
| Release date(s) | September 1998, October 31, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2003 |
| Genre(s) | Strategy |
| Mode(s) | Single Player, multiplayer |
| Platform(s) | Windows, PlayStation |
Dune 2000 is a Dune computer game, released by Westwood Studios in 1998. A Playstation version was later released in 1999 with 3D graphics. It is based in Frank Herbert's science fiction Dune universe. It is considered as an enhanced remake of Dune II. The story of the game is similar to Dune II, and is continued in Emperor: Battle for Dune. Using a game engine which resembles Westwood's Command & Conquer: Red Alert, Dune 2000 is a remake of Dune 2. The story, told with animations and subtitles in the original Dune II, is now told with full motion video starring actors such as John Rhys-Davies. The game was criticised by some for not adding enough fresh content, and for an inferior interface compared to its competitors — most notably Total Annihilation. The storyline, though, has improved markedly as did the triggers in-game with twists to the gameplay. The game also tidied its graphics to incorporate 16-bit graphics as well as incorporating a later patch with new units for multiplay. Despite all of these enhancements, the game suffered from poor AI behaviour as well as poor waypointing which has quickly become crucial in fast online multiplayer games.
As a result of this, Dune 2000 failed to demonstrate the longevity characteristic of more in depth games such as Total Annihilation or Starcraft which arrived on the RTS scene at more or less similar times. Nevertheless, the online mode thrived for a long time, attracting players from all over the world to compete in tournaments and clan based battles. As time went by, the clans started to disintegrate and usage began to severely diminish, fading into obscurity around the years 2002/2003, once or twice reemerging with more play usage and then dwindling even further. Today very few people play online, maybe a few players log in each day.
Contents |
[edit] General Units
[edit] Infantry
- Light Infantry- The basic infantry unit which is lightly armed and armored. Weak against heavily armored vehicles.
- Trooper Infantry- Anti-tank infantry unit. His rockets are not effective against other infantry.
- Thumper Infantry- Only found in multiplayer games. It can be deployed strategically near enemy harvesters to draw the attention of sandworms to the area to disrupt the enemy's economy.
- Engineer- An unarmed infantry used to capture enemy structures.
[edit] Vehicles
- Trike- House Harkonnen and Atreides construct trikes in the early part of the technology tree (Ordos may still purchase them though Starports). It is commonly used as a scout unit due to its high speed (and rather poor weaponry) as well as a secondary role as guardian to the player's harvesting operations to fend off enemy troopers.
- Quad- The player must now research the upgrade in the 'upgrade' tab to be able to construct these units. It basically fires rockets like its infantry counterpart and is weak against infantry but is rather more useful against other vehicles.
- Siege Tank- Another major deviation from Dune II. This unit is moderately armored and armed with a heavy siege cannon which is strong against buildings and infantry but does far less damage to other vehicles unlike its Dune II counterpart.
- Combat Tank- Depending on the House which this unit is built from; the Harkonnen version of this tank is slightly better-armored and possess heavier firepower than its other 2 counterparts but sacrifices speed for these bonuses; House Ordos' tank is faster, with considerably less firepower and armor whereas House Atreides' tank enjoys the balance of both these extremes in terms of firepower, speed and armor value. Its ordnance is good against structures and vehicles but less so against infantry units.
- Missile Tank- Available to House Harkonnen and Atreides (Ordos may still purchase them though Starports). It has the longest firing range of all units and structures in the game, outdistancing even the rocket turret defence. Its drawback is its frequently inaccurate payloads (missiles) and weak armor but can be useful when backed-up with other armored units.
- MCV (Mobile Construction Vehicle) - Allows the player to find a strategic spot to deploy and to build a base with. It is heavily-armored.
- Harvester- Harvests spice and converts them to spendable credits in the refinery. A full load of spice is worth 700 credits.
[edit] Special Units
[edit] House Harkonnen
- Devastator- Armed with dual plasma cannons and is the most heavily-armored unit in the game. It can be instructed to self-destruct to inflict considerable damage within its radius.
- Death Hand missile- The Harkonnen superweapon released from the Harkonnen Palace. It can cause severe destruction to a wide area, but like its Dune II predecessor, it is highly inaccurate.
- Sardaukar- Heavy infantry which fights with machine guns against infantry units and rocket launcher against vehicle units. Moves very slowly, and explodes when ran over by vehicles. Available only to Harkonnen in multiplayer when the 1.06 patch is installed, although it also appears in final mission of the campaign, when capturing the Emperor's Palace. The Emperor's Sardaukar are better than the Harkonnen version.
[edit] House Atreides
- Ornithopter- Heavy bombers unit with moderate armor. The High-tech factory must be upgraded first before the player may use them. When the player has designated the target for its bombing run, a group of 3 ornithopters will immediately fly there and commence the destruction. It is vulnerable to enemy anti-air attacks.
- Sonic Tank- In comparison with the same unit from Dune II, its range has been curtailed and its damage has been lessened somewhat. It fires a sonic wave at its intended target, harming units (friend and foe alike) caught within the wave.
- Fremen- Available in selected missions of the House Atreides campaign as well as in the multiplayer modes. They are stealthed even when moving about but would give their position(s) away when opening fire on a target or come within a very close proximity with other enemy infantry units or defense structures.
- Grenadier- Grenade throwing infantry unit that does area damage. Good against vehicles, and explodes when killed. Available only in multiplayer games after the 1.06 patch has been installed.
[edit] House Ordos
- Raider- superior to similar Trike units of its class, with improved armor, firepower and speed. Replaces Trikes in the Ordos tech tree.
- Deviator- Fires a nerve gas at enemy vehicles that can temporarily transfer control of the affected vehicle to the player. Its gas does not have any effects on infantry. Works in a similar manner as its Dune II counterpart.
- Saboteur- Deployed from the Ordos Palace. The player now has total control over the actions of the saboteur. The unit can enter any enemy structure and demolish it at the cost of the saboteur's life.
- Stealth Raider- A cloaked version of the raider, good for stealth attacks and sometimes used to initiate an attack from inside the opponent's base (or forces) after enough numbers of them have been smuggled. Will uncloak when firing its machine guns. Available only in multiplayer after the 1.06 patch has been installed.
[edit] Buildings
- Concrete Slab- Base to all buildings, should be built under every building. If buildings are not constructed on concrete slabs, they will be damaged after placing, and if repaired, they will continuously take damage until building's health is in initial state. Concrete cannot be repaired if damaged.
- Construction Yard- Needed to build any other buildings, built by MCV (Mobile Construction Vehicle). Heavily armored, but vulnerable to all types of weapons.
- Wind Trap- Provides power to all other buildings. If there isn't enought power, production speed is decreased and some buildings stop functioning. Light armored, vulnerable to most types of weapons.
- Concrete Wall- Usually used to defend base. Blocks most direct fire weapons and prevents units moving trough. Medium armored, can only be damaged by explosive weapons. Cannot be repaired if damaged.
- Refinery- Used to store spice collected by harvesters. Can store spice up to worth of 2000 credits. Medium armored, vulnerable to most types of weapons.
- Silo- Additional spice storage. Can store spice up to worth of 1500 credits. Light armored, vulnerable to most types of weapons.
- Barracks- Trains all types of infantry units. Need to be upgraded for the production of more advanced infantry production. Medium armored, vulnerable to most types of weapons.
- Light Factory- Produces light vehicles (trikes/raiders and quads). Need to be upgraded to produce quads. Medium armored, vulnerable to most types of weapons.
- Heavy Factory- Produces heavy vehicles (harvesters, tanks, etc.). Need to be upgraded for the production of more advanced vehicle and building production. Heavily armored, vulnerable to most types of weapons.
- Outpost- If the player has sufficient power, the Outpost will generate a radar map of the level. Medium armored, vulnerable to most types of weapons.
- Gun Turret- Defence building. It does have medium range-gun, which is effective against vehicles, especially heavily armored vehicles. Medium armored, resistant to bullet and explosive weapons, but vulnerable to missiles and high-calibre guns.
- Rocket Turret- Improved version of Gun Turret. It has longer range and higher rate of fire than Gun Turret. Requires power to operate. Medium armored, resistant to bullet and explosive weapons, but vulnerable to missiles and high-calibre guns.
- Repair Pad- Repairs any vehicle with varying prices, without this vehicles cannot be repaired. Medium armored, vulnerable to most types of weapons.
- Starport- Allows trading with CHOAM merchants' guild. With this you can buy limited amount of some vehicles and carryalls with cheaper price. Heavily armored, vulnerable to most types of weapons.
- High Tech Factory- Required to Produce carryalls. House Atreides can upgrade this to build Ornithopters for an air strike. Light armored, vulnerable to most types of weapons.
- IX Research Centre- Required to build some houses own units depending on the house chosen. Light armored, vulnerable to most types of weapons.
- Palace- Needed to produce special units, depending on the house chosen (Death Hand Missile for Harkonnen, Fremen for Artreides and Saboteur for Ordos). Heavily armored, vulnerable to most types of weapons.
[edit] Online Play
Clans :
The online world of Dune 2000 is now virtually non-existent, though only in the last year have the games played per day approached the zero mark. Perhaps, Dune 2000 was at its most interesting in the years 2000-2003 at which time a number of clans existed, each with their own unique reputation and ideals. One of the most well known clans calling itself DLA, or Dune Liberation Army was active around this time period. Often this would be the first clan a new comer to the world of dune would join, and they would be trained in the ways of online play, including war strategy, build plans and production techniques. After becoming aquainted with not only the game itself, but with the various players who would frequent the Dune 2000 channel, and the interactions between the multitude of clans, only then would our fledgling player ascend to clans of higher power.
[edit] External links
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Dune • Dune II • Dune 2000 • Emperor: Battle for Dune • Frank Herbert's Dune |
