Star Wars: Galactic Battlegrounds
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| Star Wars: Galactic Battlegrounds | |
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| Developer(s) | LucasArts |
| Publisher(s) | LucasArts |
| Engine | Genie |
| Platform(s) | PC, Mac |
| Release date | November 13, 2001 (original) May 14, 2002 (expansion) 2002 (bundle) |
| Genre(s) | RTS |
| Mode(s) | Single player, multiplayer |
| Rating(s) | ELSPA: 11+ ESRB: Teen (T) |
| System requirements | Pentium 2 or Athlon Class 233 MHz (300 MHz for multiplayer) or faster CPU required |
Star Wars: Galactic Battlegrounds is a real-time strategy game built on the Genie engine, the same one used in Age of Empires, and Age of Empires II. The factions in the original game include the Wookiees, Royal Naboo, the Trade Federation, the Empire, the Rebels, and the Gungans. Two campaigns in the game are centered on the Wookiee race, and one each centered on Gungans, the Trade Federation, the Galactic Empire, and the Rebel Alliance.
An expansion pack known as Clone Campaigns was released to the original game in 2002. Later in 2002, Star Wars: Galactic Battlegrounds Saga was released, containing both Galactic Battlegrounds and the Clone Campaigns expansion pack.
The expansion pack added the Republic and the CIS factions. Each has its own campaign.
Online play is mainly played through GameSpy Arcade, maintaining a small base of friendly users. Mainstream online play was considerably damaged after Zone.com, the main site for online play, closed down all CD-ROM games on June 19, 2006 due to financial problems.[1]
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[edit] Gameplay
The player starts the game with a Command Center, a scout, and three workers (in a normal random map game). He/she then gathers Food, Carbon, Nova Crystals, and Ore as resources to build new buildings and units with workers. Food is used for low-end units and troopers, as well as the work force. Carbon is used in place of Wood in Age of Empires 2 for buildings and artillery. Nova Crystals create the more high-end units and can be gathered through getting special "holocrons" (from Relics in AoE 2). Ore is used for defensive structures as well as the Gungan unique unit Fambaa. The player can build separate units at separate buildings designed specifically for different types of units. The player can advance through the four Tech Levels by paying a certain amount of resources. When a player advances a Tech Level, more units, buildings, and upgrades become available.
There are a total of seven military structures in the game. These are the Troop Center, the Shipyard, the Mech factory, the Jedi Temple or Sith Temple depending on the faction, the Heavy Weapons Factory, the Airbase, and the Fortress. The Troop center produces 'cannon fodder' early game units. These are the Grenadier, the Anti-Air trooper, the Mounted Trooper, and the ubiquitous Trooper. The Shipyard produces ships, these being the Frigate, the Destroyer, the Cruiser, and the Anti-Air Frigate. The Mech Factory produces Scouts, Assault Mechs, Strike Mechs, and Mech Destroyers. The Jedi Temple or Sith Temple is a depository for Holocrons and produces Jedi Padawans/Sith Apprentice and Jedi Knights/Sith Knights as well as Jedi Masters/Sith Masters. The Airbase produces aircraft such as fighters, bombers and transports, and the Heavy Weapons Factory produces pummels, artillery, anti-air mobiles, basically the big guns needed to mount a full scale assault. The Fortress serves as a defensive structure and produces the civilization's unique unit and an anti-jedi Bounty Hunter, as well as cannons, the most directly powerful unit in the game (not including cheats.)
If Victory is set to standard, the player can win in three different ways. He/she may win by destroying all of the enemies buildings and units with his/her army. Also, the player can use a Jedi/Sith to bring all of the Holocrons to the Jedi/Sith Temple and preserve them for 400 "days". The final way to win is to build a monument that is only available at Tech Level 4. If the monument stays standing for 200 days, then the player wins.
[edit] Clone Campaigns Expansion
Star Wars: Galactic Battlegrounds: Clone Campaigns is an expansion pack that was released shortly after the theatrical release of Star Wars Episode II: Attack of the Clones. It introduced two more playable factions and campaigns: That of the Confederacy of Independent Systems and the Galactic Republic.
The Clone Campaigns added more units, such as the Decimator and the Air Cruiser, support for movable power supplies, and more.
The Clone Campaigns occur during the first months of the Clone Wars.
[edit] Confederacy Campaign
In the Confederacy campaign, the hero is Sev'rance Tann, and guided by Count Dooku himself. The player's goal is to capture the energy-mining platforms of the Galactic Republic so that they can effectively hold Coruscant hostage, and take control of the Decimators, a secret weapon developed by the Republic.
In the years between Geonosis and his death, Count Dooku's most trusted general was Sev'rance Tann. Therefore, he gives her the job of finding out any information on a certain Republic Experiment- the Decimator. The campaign begins with the Battle of Geonosis, as Tann's forces clear an escape route for Count Dooku. After rebuilding the Separatist army, Count Dooku directs her to Tatooine, where she finds Boorka the Hutt. In exchange for destroying a Republic outpost, she is given information regarding the Decimator. The experiment is located on Eredenn Prime, at the Republic research facility. General Tann manages to capture the base and the Decimators, but their Wookiee manufacturers include a failsafe locking code and prevent the CIS from using the Decimators. However, Tann manages to also capture a Data Droid, which she takes with her to the Wookiee colony on Alaris Prime. Alaris Prime soon serves as one of many probing attacks by the CIS on Wookiee territory before the Battle of Kashyyyk. After destroying the Wookiee Decimator facilities, Tann makes the droid unlock the Decimators. At this point the objective is revealed: Sarapin, a world providing much of the Republic's power. With the Decimators, Tann attacks Sarapin, penetrating the defences in the planet's rings. Capturing the planet's energy facilities, Sev'rance destroys the Republic base and kills Jedi Knight Jor Drakas, the Republic commander.
[edit] Republic Campaign
The Galactic Republic campaign also begins at the Battle of Geonosis. Jedi Master Echuu Shen Jon leads a force of clone troopers and Jedi including his young Padawan, Stam Reath, in destroying Trade Federation core ships. The mission is successful, but Reath is brutally killed by Sev'rance Tann, sinking Echuu into depression. Months later, the Republic is shaken by the capture of Sarapin by CIS forces under the command of Sev'rance Tann. The Jedi Council sends Echuu Shen-Jon along with his new padawan, Naat Reath (Stam's sister) there to reactivate the energy platforms. The wreckage of a Decimator found on the planet reveals the usage of stolen Republic technology to take the planet. Echuu reactivates the energy platforms and retakes Sarapin, capturing and interrogating Zian Finnis, a Confederate officer, who gives away the Confederacy's presence on Tatooine.
Seeking his enemy Tann, Echuu is led to Tatooine, where he strikes an alliance with Jabba the Hutt. He learns that the Confederacy has struck an alliance of its own, with Boorka the Hutt, a local rival of Jabba's. After defeating a band of Tusken Raiders and the combined Confederate and mercenary forces, Echuu discovers some supply crates destined for the distant world of Krant. The chase continues.
Having found out about the Confederacy's presence on Krant from supply crates on Tatooine, Echuu and his padawan Naat Reath destroy a Trade Federation mining camp on Krant's moon, creating a staging point for the invasion of Krant. With the help of some stranded Wookiees, Echuu and his soldiers destroy the Confederate Decimator labs, but not without casualties: Naat is captured by Sev'rance Tann, who takes refuge inside her fort. Echuu then manages to penetrate the fort and kill Sev'rance in a duel. However, the dark side had taken root in him so much that he stays on Krant when Naat and all Republic forces under his command leave. Echuu later meets with Princess Leia on Krant during the Rebel campaign.
The last mission follows the Rebel Alliance in their conquest of Coruscant's Imperial Palace following the Battle of Endor.
[edit] Reception
Star Wars: Galactic Battlegrounds received generally positive reviews, both from critics[2] and fans[3][4]. GameSpot gave the game an 8.2/10, calling it "perfect for a generation of gamers raised on Star Wars"[5]. However, Brian Gee of Game Revolution gave the game a "C" and said that it "doesn't feel very Star Wars".[6]
[edit] References
- ^ CD-ROM Matchmaking To Be Retired on MSN Games
- ^ List of reviews for Galactic Battlegrounds.
- ^ GameSpot User Reviews for Galactic Battlegrounds
- ^ Moby Games Profile of Galactic Battlegrounds, with User Reviews
- ^ GameSpot Review for Galactic Battlegrounds
- ^ Game Revolution Review for Galactic Battlegrounds.
[edit] External links
- Star Wars Games wikia
- Star Wars: Galactic Battlegrounds at MobyGames
- Star Wars: Galactic Battlegrounds at IGN
- Star Wars: Galactic Battlegrounds: Clone Campaigns at IGN
- Star Wars: Galactic Battlegrounds at GameSpot
- Star Wars: Galactic Battlegrounds: Clone Campaigns at GameSpot
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