A Game of Thrones: Genesis - Westeros RTS

I think this was mentioned in one of the GOT Catch-All's but as this is a video game I think it warrants its own discussion on a video game discussion forum.

http://www.agot-genesis.com/

The gist is that it's an RTS set in Westeros - which is already enough to catch my interest. It just got a release date - 29 September (Because, you know, that time of the year isn't crowded enough).

I don't really know anything else about it, except that it was developed by Cyanide, who did the buggy and UI-impaired Blood Bowl game. That's not a big vote of confidence.

I'd post screens but I have no clue how to size them properly for the forum.

Any thoughts? I'll likely be picking this up Day 1, mostly because I'm a GoT Junkie and it's a franchise whose spin-off products (Board Game, Card Game, TV Show) I've been pretty much universally impressed with - so I'm hoping they won't let me down here.

Rock, Paper & Shotgun just added a few bits.

It seems the RTS will be heavily influenced by the political gameplay that's very present in the books.

[url=http://www.rockpapershotgun.com/2011..., Paper & Shotgun[/url] wrote:

But first up is Genesis, which promises to maintain the atmosphere of the novels. According to the details spoken today, you’ll even be able to play the game “without ever entering an open war or recruiting an army”. Which is intriguing.

Could you imagine a game along the vein of Myth in this world?

Certis wrote:

Could you imagine a game along the vein of Myth in this world? :drool:

Not to go too off topic, but Myth was one of those games I had to abandon because the computer I had at the time could not support it. I got a better computer later but never went back to Myth. Now I feel I'm missing out on something.

Damn.

OK, back to Game of Thrones!

I'm hesitant. As much as I love the books (just re-read the first four and currently 300 deep in book 5), I will probably wait for reviews to be out before I crack this open.

Here's hoping for a demo.

I am tentatively hopeful that they'll a good job, which is to say I am not very confident that they'll do a good job.

I WOULD KILL for a Total War style game with heavy intrigue elements (not sure how that would work) and a robust Myth style RTS for the combat section.

HedgeWizard wrote:

I am tentatively hopeful that they'll a good job, which is to say I am not very confident that they'll do a good job.

I WOULD KILL for a Total War style game with heavy intrigue elements (not sure how that would work) and a robust Myth style RTS for the combat section.

That would be amazing. I think I'd prefer a Westeros mod for Crusader Kings 2 when it comes out, though. Nice deep strategy with an emphasis on lineages and diplomacy/betrayal/marriages/inbred leprous schizophrenics

Huh, all I really ever wanted as far as A Song of Ice and Fire video game is a mod for Mount and Blade. Rename the lords, update the map, and leave the basic gameplay exactly the same and I am all in.

Atras wrote:

Huh, all I really ever wanted as far as A Song of Ice and Fire video game is a mod for Mount and Blade. Rename the lords, update the map, and leave the basic gameplay exactly the same and I am all in.

I agree. I think that this would be the best way to really capture the feeling of the books. Not from the top down but the bottom up. And we all know how they like bottom up in Westeros.

Can't say that the screenshots are doing much for me, but then again, graphics aren't everything. I'll wait and see. Something along the line of Romance of the Three Kingdoms mixed with the lineage model and diplomacy of Crusader Kings would have been pretty fitting, though.

I really should start reading this series...
The game could be very interesting...hope to hear and see more soon.

NathanialG wrote:

I agree. I think that this would be the best way to really capture the feeling of the books. Not from the top down but the bottom up. And we all know how they like bottom up in Westeros.

Boom, roasted.

As long as you could pick from all one billion coats of arms and shields for your troops to carry around. Giant in chains? Flayed man? Three hounds? The sun and spears? Aww yeahh.

Squee9 wrote:

As long as you could pick from all one billion coats of arms and shields for your troops to carry around. Giant in chains? Flayed man? Three hounds? The sun and spears? Aww yeahh.

Onions!!

Trailer:

5 dragons? Is that cannon? That seems like way more dragons than anyone needs.

NathanialG wrote:

5 dragons? Is that cannon? That seems like way more dragons than anyone needs.

Definitely not cannon. The most dragons ever seen in battle at one time was 3 when Aegon first invaded Westeros.

-edit-
And apparently, in addition to this RTS, they're also working on a full blown GoT RPG to be released sometime next year. It's not mentioned at that URL but elsewhere I read they've secured official licensing from HBO so any main characters you run into will have the likeness of the actors from the series. The licensing doesn't cover the RTS though so that will be separate. Too early to tell now, but I hope they don't blow it.

I fully expect this to be junk. Not because Cyanide doesn't inspire confidence in me, which they don't, sorry, but because the entire leadup to the release of this game has been a ton of screenshots and some talking. Show me some long form gameplay videos and I'll be happy to give them a look, but they don't exist. How about a hands on writeup? Anything? Didn't think so.

Did anyone else see the Steam pre-order image? It gave both me and my girlfriend quite a chuckle because the guy looks like such a bozo (it may be the combo of flavor savor + duck face)

IMAGE(http://www.pucemoose.com/pics/bozo1.jpg)

garion333 wrote:

I fully expect this to be junk. Not because Cyanide doesn't inspire confidence in me, which they don't, sorry, but because the entire leadup to the release of this game has been a ton of screenshots and some talking. Show me some long form gameplay videos and I'll be happy to give them a look, but they don't exist. How about a hands on writeup? Anything? Didn't think so.

QFT

I'm not sure that Myth set in this universe would be functionally much different than many of the Total War games. The magic is so weak that it's barely even there. No dwarves tossing grenades, although I suppose the Lannisters might have one hero unit doing that.

Myth and The Black Company series are, I think, forever joined at the hip.

I hope GOG gets Myth 1 and 2 eventually. Although, I gotta say, Dungeon Keeper 2 is such crashy disaster that I'm less enamored with those guys than I was.

Anyone brave enough to purchase and report back?

jam3 wrote:

Anyone brave enough to purchase and report back?

I was thinking about it. Was hoping one of the game sites would have posted something by now.

Edit: I took the plunge. I'll post some feedback in a bit.

Good ol' canary in a coal mine Spy.

SpyNavy wrote:
jam3 wrote:

Anyone brave enough to purchase and report back?

I was thinking about it. Was hoping one of the game sites would have posted something by now.

Edit: I took the plunge. I'll post some feedback in a bit.

doesn't it come out on the 29th?

Though I planned to acquire only a few new games this next year, I'm sorely tempted to pick it up just to see what kind of train wreck it is.

It might be good for a night of MP. That's like 3-5 hours of fun. It could be like MST 3000 where everyone rips on it as we play.

The lack of reviews is pretty suspicious.

DanyBoy wrote:

The lack of reviews is pretty suspicious.

I agree. I am deeply apprehensive about the whole game. Hopefully the canary doesn't keel over and we will get a pleasent review.

Initial impressions from the tutorial:

Canary is gasping a bit and looks a little greyish.

Standard stuff - graphics, sound, music, are ok. Buildings and terrain are solid, but units are very small and I believe the late 1990's are asking for their pixels and art design back.

Gameplay - very heavy on the diplomacy and subterfuge aspects. There are essentially four classes here:
- Envoy = Ambassador (Makes alliances)
- Noble Woman = Geisha (Seals alliances or distracts enemy envoys with a little booty call)
- Rogue = Rebellion Causer (Causes cities to rebel from enemy player)
- Assassin = well, Assassin (Kills people)
- Spy = uh, yes a Spy (Probably the most versatile unit in that he spots hidden units and is an Inspector General, checks other units and cities to ensure they are playing nice and havent been turned by other Spies)

Combat is ridiculously simplistic and centers around a rock, paper, scissors mechanic.
- There is a hide mechanic for certain units involving things that may be bushes or trees.
- Tiny units in small amounts whack each other with weapons (i think, again very small)

I look at tutorials as ways to grab me and make me go "yeah lets go play this game until my eyes bleed" as well as teaching me the mechanics of game, at least the basics. I point to Shogun 2 as an exemplary way to really hook the player. This game - well not so much, it did teach the mechanics, but it didnt make me go - "wow let me hit this Single Player campaign like the Hand of God". I came away from the tutorial thinking - wow kind of tedious gameplay, but I bought it so I should probably at least try the campaign.

So, I may go try the campaign or I just may purchase the new Shogun 2 DLC and play that until my eyes bleed or hope some goodjers decide to fire up RO2.

Certis wrote:

Good ol' canary in a coal mine Spy.

Certis I should have just taken my 40.00 and put it towards the current donation drive.

You have the best ideas in retrospect.

Forget reviews, is there any site ANYWHERE that has even played this thing? The lack of PR is insane. Spy, thank you for taking one for the team.

Edit: GamersHell posted this 11 hours ago.

Focus Home Interactive sent us a few fresh screenshots from A Game of Thrones: Genesis, a strategy game developed by Cyanide and adapted from George R.R. Martin's famous series of best-sellers novels "A Song of Ice and Fire".

They're still sending out screenshots. Wtf?

Also, if you make a strategy game that saves by checkpoint vice save anywhere than you as a developer should be humiliated publicly. Played through part of the campaign. The game is mediocre at best. Wait for the Christmas STEAM sale and pick it up for $10. I should have bought Hard Reset.