By Quintin Smith on March 11th, 2011 at 10:38 am.
Morning, netlings. Take a look at this- it’s a recently announced game from German publisher Gamigo called UFO Online: Fight For Earth, it’s obviously X-Com inspired and it’ll play straight out of your browser using Unity. Full press release and a brief trailer after the jump, but this looks to me like it might be neat, offering hot PvE and PvP turn-based action, slathered in a sauce of persistent base management that you can check during your lunch break? Yes please! Also, I should probably eat breakfast.
Oh man! It says here that the developers have members of the original Incubation team. I lost dozens of hours to that game back when I wasn’t even a fully-formed nerd. I was a ner, or something.
gamigo announces “UFO Online – Fight for Earth” Hamburg, March 10, 2010 – During the course of the European press event “next-g” gamigo announced “UFO Online – Fight for Earth”, its new tactical 3D browser-based game. Players take charge of a group of specialized mercenaries to fight the growing threat from alien invaders in strategic turn-based fights. It’s the year 2025. Just as humanity stands on the cusp of its demise, extraterrestrials show up and promise to solve all of Earth’s problems: energy shortages, disease and poverty are soon to be a thing of the past. But what’s in it for these mysterious visitors? As leaders of an underground resistance force who can guess at the reason behind the aliens’ motivations, players head out on action-packed PvE campaigns to uncover the truth. Players research new technologies and train their fighters in their base, which can continually be expanded. This is where the next missions get planned out; these then unfold in high-quality 3D graphics thanks to the Unity graphics engine. The game is being developed by Funatics, the developer studio behind “Cultures Online”. The core team of developers was also involved in the cult classic strategy games “Incubation” and “Battle Isle”. Patrick Streppel, Executive Board Member at gamigo, said this: “UFO Online – Fight for Earth follows in the tradition of the great classic tactical games while raising the bar for 3D browser-based MMOGs with its great depth that will appeal to all hardcore gamers. This game will be another top-notch game in our portfolio and will also help build on our successful cooperation with Funatics.” A story trailer is available for download and on YouTube. More information and the opportunity to sign up for closed beta testing, which will begin in the second quarter of 2011, can be found on the game’s website. Features at a glance: * Global strategy MMOG with tactical battles
* Impressive 3D graphics right in your browser thanks to the Unity engine
* Expandable base for conducting research and training troops
* 3 factions (RvR)
* A variety of mercenary classes with unique skills
* Upgradeable weapons and items
* Tactical battles against the AI and other players (PvE and PvP)
* Thrilling storyline with countless quests
11/03/2011 at 10:45 mowglie says:
OMG YES PLEASE!!!1
11/03/2011 at 15:25 Peter Radiator Full Pig says:
Oh yes indeed. But does it need to be in 3d? As long as there is some way to view every tile unobscured, Id prefer the lower specs, and less development time of non 3d, as well as faster implementation of new content, and more time to work on gameplay rather than graphics.
11/03/2011 at 15:51 Hoaxfish says:
Depending on how it works 3D may actually benefit development time for this sort of thing.
They only have to model it once, pre-render, whatever.. rather than 8 times for the different cardinal directions, etc.
The same goes for the user-end, since you only have to download the model, not art for every different viewing direction.
it’s really up to how they optimise it.
11/03/2011 at 21:07 squidlarkin says:
Having spent the last couple weeks learning Unity, I can safely say that it’s absolutely the fastest way to make a game that takes place in three dimensions (assuming you’ve got a competent modeling team on staff).
11/03/2011 at 10:48 Memphis-Ahn says:
* P R E – R E G I S T E R ‘ D *
11/03/2011 at 10:54 Matt says:
So many crates…
11/03/2011 at 19:23 Mad Hamish says:
hah it even has those classic old school wooden crates in the corner. They probably haven’t been seen or used in about 80 years outside of video games.
11/03/2011 at 10:55 JackShandy says:
Their propaganda posters are simple yet effective. I’d like to see more in the series.
“ALIENS, COULD YOU JUST BUGGER OFF?”
“ALIENS, WHAT’S YOUR PROBLEM?”
“ALIENS, LISTEN, I DIDN’T WANT TO SAY ANYTHING, BUT YOU’RE BRINGING NOTHING TO THIS RELATIONSHIP.”
11/03/2011 at 15:59 Ushao says:
“ALIENS, DO NOT WANT!”
11/03/2011 at 17:32 xrabohrok says:
“ALIENS, STOP BEING LIKE THAT, YOU KNOW WHAT IM TALKING ABOUT”
11/03/2011 at 17:47 tomeoftom says:
“ALIENS. ALIENS. ALIENS. NO I’M NOT INTERRUPTING YOU, YOU INTERRUPTED ME AND NOW I’M FINISHING WHAT I WAS TRYING TO SAY. NO. ALIENS. ALIENS. LISTEN TO ME. OH FOR CHRISSAKE JUST STOP IT, WILL YOU? … OH FORGET IT. THIS POSTER IS OVER. I’M GETTING MY MINIGUN.”
11/03/2011 at 17:48 Eightball says:
“ALIENS – REALLY? REALLY?”
11/03/2011 at 19:04 Dances to Podcasts says:
ALIENS – ALRIGHT BE THAT WAY
11/03/2011 at 21:09 Bret says:
ALIENS, I WAS THINKING WE SHOULD START SEEING OTHER PEOPLE
11/03/2011 at 23:35 wcanyon says:
ALIENS : I guess we’ll just have to agree to disagree.
11/03/2011 at 23:53 sinister agent says:
ALIENS. YOU ARE DOING IT AGAIN. I THOUGHT WE HAD TALKED ABOUT THIS.
12/03/2011 at 16:43 outoffeelinsobad says:
“ALIENS, NO I WASN’T IGNORING YOUR TEXTS MY PHONE WAS JUST TURNED OFF.”
14/03/2011 at 11:06 RegisteredUser says:
Aliens, I can understand your wish to destroy all mankind given it’s propensity towards all-caps communication.
11/03/2011 at 10:55 Godsmith says:
What is the stock sound effect you can hear at 00:42 from? Starcraft? I recognize it very well.
Also, pleasepleasepleaseplease don’t fuck this up like every other X-Com clone has since 1994.
11/03/2011 at 12:23 Caddrel says:
The video linked below says the Terran Academy from Starcraft.
11/03/2011 at 13:37 Balm says:
UFO:Afterlight was lovely (the one where you get to paint mars green)
11/03/2011 at 23:37 wcanyon says:
Agreed, UFO Afterlight is my fave XCOM game since TFTD. It’s a solid little indie title. Fair bit of mods out there too. Backstab the friendly grays as soon as you can and it’ll be much easier.
11/03/2011 at 10:55 skyturnedred says:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hf6_hok4-lo
I love that scream.
Edit: reply fail, for Godsmith.
11/03/2011 at 19:45 Mad Hamish says:
Ah the Howie Scream. The Lesser know cousin of the Wilhelm Scream.
Howie Scream was my first love though. I do love that scream. I used to be able to do a pretty good impression of it when I was in college. Always ended up in an uncontrolable cough at the end though.
11/03/2011 at 11:01 CMaster says:
Why do people feel that XCOM-alikes have to be about fighting aliens? Why? It really isn’t a necessary part.
Also, I predict invulnerable scenery, while XCOM’s destructibility was a big part of why it worked.
11/03/2011 at 11:09 itsallcrap says:
This could well be awesome.
It certainly caused me to go to http://www.zxspectrum.net/ and play Rebelstar.
11/03/2011 at 15:54 Hoaxfish says:
Rebelstar Command on the GBA was pretty good too
11/03/2011 at 11:24 ShaunCG says:
Incubation! Now there was a game. A game with a rap song. Two versions of it, no less!
I loved the game a great deal and was deeply saddened when running it even on XP proved problematic. It’s crying out for a GOGging, so it is, not least because I flogged my copy. :(
11/03/2011 at 11:31 karry says:
Dont know what you’re talking about, it runs fine on XP, you can even use Glide wrapper for 3DFX emulation (i still have my VooDoo2 just for such an occasion though), its installing from my CD that i cannot do. Have to download a rip and just use CD for music.
11/03/2011 at 11:41 karry says:
Dont know what you’re talking about. It runs perfectly well on XP, you can even use Glide wrapper for 3DFX emulation if you really want to. Its that you cant really install it from CD anymore, setup wont work, so you have to use the rip and use your CD for music.
11/03/2011 at 11:26 karry says:
“It says here that the developers have members of the original Incubation team”
Its kinda obvious from the screenshot. Three steps is the max move range, yep, thats Incubation all right.
BTW, there already IS UFO Online, at ufo-game.ru. Its functional, and the forum seems to be quite active.
11/03/2011 at 12:10 bonjovi says:
great, any idea if they have English version?
11/03/2011 at 12:21 karry says:
No idea. I just googled “ufo online” and got that. I’d venture a guess that it does not.
11/03/2011 at 15:53 Balm says:
This game have nothing to do with x-com. Grindie F2P/P2W mmorpg with LaserSquadNemesis-like combat (no squad control, just your character). Plays like some old browser MMOs
11/03/2011 at 11:46 Triangulon says:
It looks more like X-Com than that new first person ‘X-Com’. Looks cool.
11/03/2011 at 11:48 Shatners Bassoon says:
They stole our sleeves! The bastards.
11/03/2011 at 11:56 Dozer says:
What a shame.
11/03/2011 at 12:31 Tei says:
1) Travel 230 years light
2) Steal sleeves
3) ????
Now we only have to figure out what is 3.
11/03/2011 at 13:53 WingNutZA says:
1) Travel 230 years light
2) Steal sleeves
3) ????
4) Profit!
11/03/2011 at 15:23 Peter Radiator Full Pig says:
Would he dare suck a sleeve? Probably not, play it safe, act like you never saw.
11/03/2011 at 12:24 fearian says:
‘YYEEEEERRRRAAAARRGGHHHH!’
Ah, hello old friend.
11/03/2011 at 12:28 Diziet Sma says:
Incubation… damn I found parts of that game blooming hard. I might still have the CD somewhere…
11/03/2011 at 12:44 Jolly Teaparty says:
AAAAA
I only got as far as “X-COM” before I was hammering the register button
11/03/2011 at 12:59 Makariel says:
pre-registered!
I played the hell out of Incubation and anything that has resemblance to the original X-Com in any way shape or form needs to be examined closely :-)
11/03/2011 at 13:12 poop says:
man a scifi plotline where hippies are to blame for humanity getting its shit ruined by aliens reminds of independance day
11/03/2011 at 13:21 Bilbo says:
Well, this will do nicely. I admire the bravado of not even changing the name – but then, if it’s okay for the Altar guys it’s okay for these guys. Fun trailer, I especially enjoyed the placards at 0:34 – “Welcome Friends” “Hi There” – awfully mellow for first contact, but then we don’t know what city that is. Could be like, Swindon.
Also, oh dear Quintin, “Full press release after the jump” are dirty words but I’mma let you finish because I’m excited about the game, ok?
11/03/2011 at 16:18 jonfitt says:
They hate the aliens so bad. Also hate: sleeves.
11/03/2011 at 23:13 Rugged Malone says:
“Jesus Christ. We used to bone this place.” Maybe it’s the two beers I had at lunch but that slight mispronunciation made me laugh a bit too loudly.
Oh, and to the thought of anything finally doing XCOM justice I say: HELL YES.
11/03/2011 at 23:42 wcanyon says:
Is this gonna be the year of the XComs? Seems like there’s more than a few of them on the way. This, XCOM – Sgt Friday Edition and Xenonauts. That’s a lot of XCOM in one year.