Gratuitous Space Battles 2 Trailer Comes In Peace

I've spent untold hours watching back replays of my own Supreme Commander games, taking the opportunity to slow-down or speed-up time, watch maneuvers by my opponents I missed the first time around, and to marvel at the bombastic laser wars that eventually decide each match.

Gratuitious Space Battles is that whole process as an entire game: you build a fleet, design the ships, and then click go to watch a spectacular hands-off space battle. The sequel seems determined to make those battles more spectacular than ever, as demonstrated by this new trailer. Such pretty lasers and explosions.

"A wise man once said, 'If you want peace, prepare for war.'" A wise man, eh? I'll be the judge of that. According to Wikipedia, the adage derives from the Latin phrase "Si vis pacem, para bellum", which is credited to "Book 3 of Latin author Publius Flavius Vegetius Renatus's tract De Re Militari". Not much is known about Vegetius's life, but aside from his tome of military strategy, he also wrote a book about veterinary medicine that was mostly focused on the care of horses and cattle. The text of that book is available as a scan on archive.org.

Using Google Translate, I ported the line: "Si nec ipsos appetit, quia omnem cibum recusat, fabam moles et convertes in pollinem, farinam quoque triticeam pariter admiscebis et cum mulsa per cornu ad substantiam animali tam diu faucibus eius infundes, donec cibos virides appetat, quos aqua marina vel salsa oportet aspergi." It comes out as:

"If you do not own desires, because all the food declines, the amount of beans and turn into powder, mix together the flour and wheat, and with honey by the horn to his mouth giving substance to an animal for so long, until the meat green desires, which must be sprinkled with sea water or salt water."

Which sounds pretty smart! Good job, Gratuitous Space Battles 2 trailer. I - and history, I guess - agree with your assessment.

There's information, screenshots and videos of the in-development game through at the Gratuitous Space Battles site, including this previously linked nine-minute talkthrough of some of the new visual effects. The game's aimed at release before the end of the year, but if you can't wait you'll have a chance to see it at EGX London next weekend.

I couldn't think of any space-related jokes this time around, but isn't the internet full of wonderful knowledge?