Homeworld 1 & 2 HD remakes? Squeeee!!!

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Read this while I calm down.

http://www.polygon.com/2013/7/20/454...

Gearbox will release high-definition remakes of Relic Entertainment's real-time strategy series for Windows PC, the original Homeworld and Homeworld 2, the company announced at its PAX Australia panel today. The company will also release the original two titles to digital distribution platforms for Windows PC.

Gearbox bought the Homeworld IP for $1.35 million in April, following the approved sale of publisher THQ's games and studios for $72 million in January. At the time, Gearbox issued a statement saying that Brian Martel, Gearbox Software's chief creative officer, only had great love and respect for the Homeworld franchise and "personally spearheaded the acquisition." The company said that preserving the Homeworld games is Martel's highest priority and intends on making "them accessible on today's leading digital platforms."

Developer Paul Zakrzewski launched a Kickstarter campaign to develop a real-time strategy/space combat simulator inspired by the Homeworld series called Void Destroyer. The campaign was successfully funded in June and is currently on Steam Greenlight.

The Relic Entertainment-developed Homeworld was initially released for Windows PC in 1999. The sequel, Homeworld 2, launched for Windows PC in 2003.

Even for a remake I'm not giving Gearbox the benefit of the doubt.

That said, I wonder what they'll do with them, how close they'll stay to the originals in all the details. In particular I wonder about the UI, because for all 3 games that could use some work. Really though, I'd prefer them to concentrate on the interface/controls, as for a strategy game you don't really spend a lot of time up close looking at the pretty ships, but on the large scale

There's probably a few things they could tweak gameplay wise, but if they're planning on doing their own follow-up entry to the series I'd prefer them to learn from the first 3, give the graphics/UI a once over, and move on.

On one hand - this SUPER excites me. On the other hand, I wonder what they will do to make those games as offensive as possible.

I suppose it comes down to defining "remake". That could be anything from just polishing up the originals so they run well on modern computers, to remaking everything from scratch.

It's annoying when my first reaction to a project isn't glee, but "don't f*** this up".

With the little gameplay shown of Hardware Shipbreakers by ex-Relic guys, that seems quite Homeworld-like as an option.

Oh baby!

IMAGE(http://cdn.spyparty.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/08/Shut_up_and_take_my_money.jpg)

I would imagine they just mean upping textures and a few other modern bells and whistles. I doubt they're remaking the game from scratch or anything.

I'm down for it.

Similar to what was done with Age of Kings.

Cool with me, those are classics!

Is the paragraph about Paul Zakrzewski there just because Homeworld is one of his influences?

I wish I had a virtual editor's pencil right now.

misplacedbravado wrote:

Is the paragraph about Paul Zakrzewski there just because Homeworld is one of his influences?

I wish I had a virtual editor's pencil right now.

Yeah, you might as well mention every other space RTS while you're at it. At least Shipbreakers is a bit more closely related.

Oh boy. This could be awesome. This could also suck.

Since I am optimistic, I will hope for awesome! Love those games...

Well played, Gearbox. Well played.

Edit: I hope they don't mess with the plot. I remember it being pretty emotionally powerful to my 15 year old self. The story of a race banished to a near inhospitable world, then all of society working together on the planet-depleting mothership project after finding the star-chart, adn the individual sacrafices made, including the woman who became the ship's computer. And that was just the opening, all set to that haunting choral-version of Adagio. I read the thick lore book that came with my boxed copy cover to cover. Man I miss those old pack-in's. But I don't even take the time to read in-game text anymore, so I guess I wouldn't appreciate it like I used to. /nostalgia trip

Excited about the idea but I no longer trust Gearbox. If they do it right though, I'm totally in.

DanyBoy wrote:

Edit: I hope they don't mess with the plot. I remember it being pretty emotionally powerful to my 15 year old self. The story of a race banished to a near inhospitable world, then all of society working together on the planet-depleting mothership project after finding the star-chart, adn the individual sacrafices made, including the woman who became the ship's computer. And that was just the opening, all set to that haunting choral-version of Adagio. I read the thick lore book that came with my boxed copy cover to cover. Man I miss those old pack-in's. But I don't even take the time to read in-game text anymore, so I guess I wouldn't appreciate it like I used to. /nostalgia trip

I know it was Relic's first game in simpler times, but any time I play/watch the start of mission 1 I can't help notice all the fairly generic sound effects in front of the sound track. What about a great big fusion drive needs to spin up? Why does the radio crackle?

The other thing about a remake and if they tinker with it is that Relic themselves did a little bit of retcon-ning between HW1 and HW2 back stories

Also, you can play a chunk of HW1 and a mission not included in the main campaign with this: http://www.worthdownloading.com/down...

I'm excited! Sounds as if they're releasing both the original titles, as well as remakes.

What's with the fear around Gearbox? I'm not too familiar with the studio, so I'm missing some context.

Polliwog wrote:

What's with the fear around Gearbox? I'm not too familiar with the studio, so I'm missing some context.

Pretty much everything besides Borderlands is "pretty meh" (and Borderlands/Brothers in Arms are their own IP, so they're justified in putting most effort into them as they get more reward from them), with notable recent examples being the finishing up of the marathon development of Duke Nukem Forever, and outsourcing Aliens Colonial Marines and then putting their name on it. I'd also argue that outside of whatever entertainment your coop buddies provide to Borderlands1/2, the game by itself isn't outstanding, but it does have it's fans.

Primarily they're a contract software house, Borderlands was a lucky break for them which was originally going to be a dull gritty shooter (look up the early trailers for it), and then their artists did some experiments behind their backs which actually got the thumbs up.

NERDGASM

As long as they don't go all George Lucas, I'm game for anything new that's Homeworld related.

They'd be pretty safe to issue a reskinned game, I'd buy it. Reimagining the interface will take some chops that I'm not sure these guys have. There haven't been many successful 3D rts followups to learn from anyway!

Please don't screw this up please don't screw this up please don't screw this up please don't screw this up.

Heck, just make sure the originals work on W7 and throw them up on GOG. It doesn't have to be high-profile, Gearbox. That's what GOG et al are for. Even SS2 is on Steam largely intact and it sells like digital hotcakes.

The originals do work on W7, I was playing it a little yesterday. Definitely not flawlessly in the main menu, but that's probably minor compatibility stuff.

I've been voting for this with GOG every time they ask on Facebook, or give us a poll, asking "What game do you want on Gog.com?"

The originals run fine, but they could run a little soother, and on wider screens, the graphical age shows. Even if they just fix those two things, I'd be happy to purchase them.

The animations could surely run smoother, but I'm not so sure that's a factor of old code so much as it might be old animations, they seem to be just that stuttery and they don't interpolate between frames.

I still feel the graphics have held up better than a lot of games released during that time (not that I'm in any way against a graphics update). But the UI definitely needs an overhaul. It was OK for it's time, when RTS's in general were really picking up steam, but nowadays it does feel pretty clunky.

The HD remakes will provide a good refresher for everyone before Homeworld:Shipbreakers (formerly Hardware:shipbreakers) is released.

Gearbox huh?

Will they replace that sublime, eye-misting choral interpretation of Barber's Adagio with generic bro-step?

Jarpy wrote:

Gearbox huh?

Will they replace that sublime, eye-misting choral interpretation of Barber's Adagio with generic bro-step?

They'll replace all the music with clap-trap rapping songs from Yeezus.
Can't wait to experience Hiigaran battle cruisers hyper spacing into combat to "the blood on the leaves".

Joking aside, the team at BlackBird includes many former Relic employees, and I thus expect them to craft the Homeworld game we all want.

Gearbox wants your input:

gearbox twitter wrote:

Check out the Homeworld Remastered Collection site and let us know what you want in a possible Collector's Edition! http://t.co/2OB7jcbv7R

— Gearbox Software (@GearboxSoftware) March 5, 2014

I voted for the more expensive one. I want that model.

I have no doubt that the originals and the remastered versions will both be released on gog once they are out.

Homeworld is still on my list of "overrated" games, specifically because for me there was a crappy enjoyment:time ratio.

Itsatrap wrote:

Homeworld is still on my list of "overrated" games, specifically because for me there was a crappy enjoyment:time ratio. :(

Well now you're on MY list!

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