Supreme Commander: Forged Alliance
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| Supreme Commander: Forged Alliance | |
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| Developer(s) | Gas Powered Games |
| Publisher(s) | THQ |
| Designer(s) | Bradley Rebh |
| Engine | Moho Engine |
| Version | 3599 |
| Platform(s) | Microsoft Windows |
| Release date | November 6, 2007 (US) November 23, 2007 (Europe)[1] |
| Genre(s) | Real-time strategy |
| Mode(s) | Single player, Multiplayer |
| Rating(s) | ESRB: E+10 PEGI: 12+ |
| Media | DVD-DL |
Supreme Commander: Forged Alliance is a standalone real-time strategy computer game expansion to Supreme Commander (released in February 2007), developed by Gas Powered Games and published by THQ, and the second title in the Supreme Commander franchise. Because it is a standalone expansion, it is possible to play without owning Supreme Commander, although without a valid CD Key for Supreme Commander online play is limited to the new faction, the Seraphim.[2] Forged Alliance adds new gameplay features to the game, several new units for the three preexisting factions, and is further optimised for increased performance,[3] in response to issues with the original.
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[edit] Gameplay
- See also: Supreme Commander Gameplay
Supreme Commander is focused on using a giant bipedal mech called an Armoured Command Unit (or ACU) to build a base, then upgrading units to reach higher technology tiers, and conquering opponents. Forged Alliance uses the original game mechanics, and expands them with new possibilities, strategies, and improvements.[4] The most notable addition to this expansion is the addition of a new faction, the Seraphim. All of the original factions, the United Earth Federation, the Cybran Nation and Aeon Illuminate, return and receive a number of new units. Other new content includes new maps.
The original Supreme Commander allowed the player to employ all four traditional battlespaces - air, information, land and sea. The fifth and last battlespace, space, could only be used indirectly.[5] Forged Alliance expands upon space warfare, by adding orbital weaponry to the player's arsenal. Several improvements to the controls and behind the scenes mechanics have been made as well. The interface has been revamped, as well as improved pathfinding and aircraft flight dynamics.[4]
[edit] Setting
The setting of Supreme Commander is a future in which humanity is able to travel through the galaxy quickly using a quantum tunnel, a portal opened in the fabric of space leading to a designated location potentially light-years away.[6] Tunneling let humankind establish many colonies, which were governed by a centralized Earth Empire. As the number of human worlds grew, however, its control eventually weakened, and the Empire collapsed. The Empire's remnants formed the United Earth Federation; an opposition group formed the Cybran Nation; and a group of religious fanatics formed the Aeon Illuminate. The three factions came into conflict, starting the Infinite War. One thousand years later, the events of Supreme Commander take place, ending the war.
[edit] Supreme Commander Ending
All three endings for the Supreme Commander campaigns feature teaser endings after the credits as a reference to the (then unannounced) upcoming expansion. The Cybran ending shows QAI (a HAL 9000-like computer) calling in unidentified enemies. The Aeon ending simply depicts Princess Rhianne, the leader of the faction, opening her eyes in shock and exclaiming "...no!", and the UEF ending shows many unidentified radar signatures appearing.
[edit] Plot
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The plot of Forged Alliance takes place immediately after the events of Supreme Commander. A time line cut scene depicts the events between the end of Supreme Commander and the first mission of Forged Alliance. Shortly before Black Sun was fired, QAI was contacted by the leader of the Seraphim, Seth-Iavow. Because QAI was based on ancient Seraphim technology, the Seraphim had detected it operating on the Quantum Realm. They reprogrammed it to spy on, and eventually betray, Dr. Brackman. This allowed the Seraphim to prepare an invasion force. The firing of Black Sun weakened the barrier to the Quantum Realm, where the Seraphim live, and allowed the Seraphim to create a rift, beginning their invasion.
The invasion was fast and successful. Earth was left in ruins and President Riley was killed. The Seraphim quickly spread and conquered the UEF core worlds, pushing the humans to the edge of colonized space. A sect within the Aeon Illuminate overthrew the princess and allied with the invaders, forming the Order of the Illuminate. A month later, the Cybran military was crushed by attacks coordinated by QAI.
Three months later, the UEF had also suffered heavy losses. Both the UEF and the remnants of the Cybran forces, having been pushed to the edge of the galaxy and on the edge of defeat, allied and formed the Colonial Defense Coalition, creating a unified command structure to conduct operations. Rhiza and the Aeon loyalists eventually join the coalition. One year after the Coalition launched its first offensive, it scored its first victory against the Seraphim, despite suffering heavy casualties. Over two years after the invasion began on X-day, the UEF began construction on Fort Clarke, a new base of operations located on the planet Griffin IV. The first mission of Forged Alliance throws the player right into the fray: Fort Clarke is under heavy assault, and the player must fight to rescue the last UEF stronghold. There are a variety of side missions, which differ between the three factions.
After lifting the siege, the player is sent to rescue the loyalists behind held by QAI and Order forces. Dostya suspects there is a traitor in the Coalition, and starts work on a tracking program. After releasing the prisoners, Princess Burke, presumed dead, returns. After defeating QAI, it is revealed that, with the news that the princess has returned, approximately a third of the Order has rebelled against Kael. Dr. Brackman manages to seize a Seraphim support command unit as it is gated in, and starts working on a translator. The question of the Princess' whereabouts is immediately answered in the next mission, and once again the player must launch a rescue operation and secure her palace.
In the fourth mission, word comes that the Seraphim are constructing quantum gates in preparation for a major offensive on Coalition space. Dostya once again reveals her suspicions: First, that the secret location of Fort Clarke had been discovered, and secondly that the loyalist network was compromised. The player is told that the information about this operation was provided by the Severed Hand node. Dostya's suspicions are confirmed when she and the player are stranded on the planet after destroying the gates, with multiple quantum jammers preventing a recall. The traitor is revealed to be Hex5, leader of the Seven Hand node, who kills Dostya after the revelation. Immediately afterward, the player's base falls under heavy assault, and the player must survive until HQ can lock on and provide a means of escape.
It is revealed after this that the Seraphim presence in the galaxy is a fragile one: the rift from where they entered this realm is unstable, and they are constructing a quantum arch on Earth in an effort to stabilize the rift and call for reinforcements. In the fifth mission, the player is tasked with assaulting QAI's mainframe and destroying Hex5, as well clearing the path for Dr. Brackman's Megalith to personally shut down QAI and extract the gate codes to Earth. In the final mission, the player must destroy the quantum arch on Earth, the Seraphim war leader, and remaining traitors (this last varying between factions). Princess Burke lands on earth and enters the rift to seal it from within.
Completion of the final mission results in a teaser video, after the credits, where QAI appears to reboot stating: "Re-establishing primary CPU algorithms. Primary CPU algorithms operational. All systems online. Diagnostics complete. Primary directive recognised. Executing."
[edit] Development
On June 28, 2007, the first 5 screenshots were released on Gamespot's Q&A with lead designer Bradley Rebh.[7]
On July 7, 2007, its first trailer was released, along with 8 screenshots from the trailer.[8]
On July 11, 2007, Gamespot had another preview, revealing that there are 110 new units, including a new experimental unit for each existing faction.[3]
On July 12, 2007, Gamershell released an HD version of the trailer;[9] an additional 5 screenshots were released on Gamespot,[10] IGN released 12 old & new screenshots.[11]
On July 14, 2007 , Gamespy's preview tells of the backstory & campaign.[12]
On July 16, 2007, info on some of the 'old' factions' new units, including space warfare/orbital weaponry, were posted on GPGnet.[13]
On August 18, 2007, Gamespot had a 'profile preview' in which characters & a timeline were revealed.[14]
[edit] Reception
On November 7, 2007, Gamespot's review gave Supreme Commander: Forged Alliance a score of 8.5 out of 10.0.[15]
[edit] References
- ^ Supreme Commander Forged Alliance Release Date. GamesTracker. Retrieved on 2007-11-13.
- ^ GPGnet :: View topic - Forged Alliance Knowledge Base -=Updated: 10/1/07
- ^ a b Jason Ocampo. E3 07: Supreme Commander Forged Alliance Impressions. Gamespot. Retrieved on 2007-07-11.
- ^ a b Supreme Commander: Forged Alliance press release. Gas Powered Games. Retrieved on 2007-07-01.
- ^ Interaction with space in the original was only possible by constructing the Quantum Gate building, which allows the player to summon Support Commanders from outer space.
- ^ Cam Shea (2007-01-22). The World of Supreme Commander: A tale of three factions. IGN Australia. Retrieved on 2007-04-26.
- ^ Supreme Commander: Forged Alliance Exclusive Q&A - First Details. Gamespot. Retrieved on 2007-06-28.
- ^ Trailer - 2mins 22secs of in game footage. Supreme Commander Files. Retrieved on 2007-07-07.
- ^ Supreme Commander: Forged Alliance E3 2007 Trailer (HD). Gamershell. Retrieved on 2007-07-12.
- ^ E3 07: Supreme Commander: Forged Alliance Images. Gamespot. Retrieved on 2007-07-12.
- ^ Supreme Commander: Forged Alliance (PC) Images. Gamespot. Retrieved on 2007-07-12.
- ^ Supreme Commander: Forged Alliance. Gamespy. Retrieved on 2007-07-14.
- ^ More Info on Forged Alliance - From the Forums. GPGnet. Retrieved on 2007-07-16.
- ^ Supreme Commander: Forged Alliance Profile Preview - Seraphim Characters and Timeline. Gamespot. Retrieved on 2007-08-18.
- ^ Supreme Commander: Forged Alliance - Gamespot review
