Forum adverts like this one are shown to any user who is not logged in. Join us by filling out a tiny 3 field form and you will get your own, free, dakka user account which gives a good range of benefits to you: No adverts like this in the forums anymore. Times and dates in your local timezone. Full tracking of what you have read so you can skip to your first unread post, easily see what has changed since you last logged in, and easily see what is new at a glance. Email notifications for threads you want to watch closely. Being a part of the oldest wargaming community on the net. If you are already a member then feel free to login now.

<table style="MARGIN: 0px 13px 13px" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" width="499"> <tbody> <tr> <td class="gy12"><strong class="gy18">Battlestar Galactica Game Charting Digital Delivery Course[/b]

<strong class="biz_b12">Battlestar Galactica has been a hit TV show from day one. Soon, it will have its first HD game based upon it. What's unique about this is that it will be available for download only, on both the Xbox 360 and PC. Based upon situations from the first two seasons of the show, the game will also have multiplayer options as well.[/b]

</td> </tr> <tr> <td class="gy12">NBC Universal has enlisted Sierra Online to bring the first high-definition Battlestar Galactica videogame to fans this fall exclusively through digital distribution. The game will bypass retail and be available via paid download for Windows PC gamers and through Xbox Live Marketplace for Xbox 360 owners.

 

 

Ed Zobrist, president of Sierra Online, said the space combat videogame will include about nine levels of single-player missions revolving around key battles from the first two seasons of the show, as well as some new missions. There will also be over a dozen multiplayer maps that will allow up to 16 PC gamers and up to eight Xbox 360 players to team up in four-versus-four or eight-versus-eight battles as the Colonials or the Cylons.

 

"We're capturing the essence of the show and the look and feel of the series as best we can," said Zobrist. "We were on set to photograph the cockpits and hangar. We took audio that they use in the show for sound effects. We're using the same color palette as the show. It's going to be the best-looking game available on Xbox Live Arcade."

 

In addition to Vipers and Raiders, Zobrist said Australian developer Auran Games and Sierra Online have worked closely with the TV series' creators to introduce new ships to the universe. There will be four Colonial and four Cylon ships to begin with. But because the game will be delivered digitally, there will be additional content added over time.

 

"We're exploring a lot of creative ways to add content to this game," said Zobrist. "It's very easy to upgrade and modify missions through digital distribution. We'll add new missions and ships, new multiplayer maps."

 

Zobrist said by adding small chunks of content, fans of the show will be able to find timely missions online. Once the game is released this fall, following one year of development, gamers will be able to find replay value through both the multiplayer gameplay and the new content.

 

Bill Kispert, vice president of Interactive at NBC Universal, said NBC Universal is looking at cross-promoting the upcoming HD-DVD releases of the TV series with the new game.

 

"Because the game is in HD, this opens up the door to do more than just a featurette on the making of the game," said Kispert. "There's the potential to include additional game content, like exclusive missions, on the disc for Xbox 360 owners to play. With The Chronicles of Riddick, Van Helsing and The Hulk, we were the first studio to include a playable level from an Xbox game on the DVD, so there's precedent there."

 

Kispert said NBC Universal will cross-promote the show and the game, driving new fans of the show from the game side to the Battlestar Galactica Web site and sending TV fans to the game. He also believes that some type of on-air promotion might occur, as last year's Battlestar Galactica cell phone game was promoted on SciFi Channel. Fans will be able to download the PC game from numerous Web sites, including NBC.com, SciFi.com, and Sierra.com.

 

NBC Universal experimented with Xbox Live Marketplace by offering a free downloadable recap of the first two seasons before the third season debuted. That has set a precedent that could see the new series arrive on Video Marketplace at some time in the future. The show is already sold on iTunes.com.

</td> </tr> </tbody> </table>

The above is from GameDaily. While download only games have been available for the PC forever, a major studio releasing a game on digital distribution is a bid deal.

I still say that the whole Blu-Ray vs HD-DVD thing is a pig in a poke. In a few years, no one will fiddle about with shinny plastic disks. Almost everything will be distributed via the 'net and/or memory sticks.

The iPod has the music industry well on it's way. It's only a matter of time for the movie and vid-game industries.

I'd REALLY like to see a well done TableTop BSG game. Something Like Babylon 5 ( which I've never played, but I heard it was a pretty good system). I'd definitely pick it up. The CCG was utter crap IMO.

The B5 game is great.  I think the problem Battlestar would have as a tabletop game is that there are only 2 sides (races).

Games really thrive with a wide variety of fleet/army choices.  B5 has this advantage with over 12 fleets to choose from. 

I was just thinking the other day how I would *really* like to play a BG game based on the series (a good game, of course).

So this is great news!

Why are there so few space shooters made nowadays? It's always been one of my favorite genres and its always been so sorely unrepresented, IMO.

 

Star Trek Legacy is the only space combat game done recently.  (Which is worth a rental, btw)

It used to be a HUGE genre (Wing Commander, Xwing, Privateer, etc.)  Now-a-days we seem to get just very arcady space combat (Rogue Squadron) if we get anything.

The Battlestar game (which took place when Adama was just a vyper pilot) on the original X-box was ok, but needed a bit of help.  My fav part of that game was the cylon audio from the original series:

"Attack the humans." 

"By your command."

Posted By RussWakelin on 02/13/2007 7:08 AM

Star Trek Legacy is the only space combat game done recently.  (Which is worth a rental, btw)

It used to be a HUGE genre (Wing Commander, Xwing, Privateer, etc.)  Now-a-days we seem to get just very arcady space combat (Rogue Squadron) if we get anything.

The Battlestar game (which took place when Adama was just a vyper pilot) on the original X-box was ok, but needed a bit of help.  My fav part of that game was the cylon audio from the original series:

"Attack the humans." 

"By your command."

Star Trek space combat doesn't do it for me. I prefer the WWII space combat model (ultimately dominated by fighters - Star Wars, Battlestar, etc) over the WWI Star Trek (dominated by captial ships) model.

X-Wing was one of the very few PC games that actually got me to sit in front of a computer to play a video game, as did the first few Wing Commanders.

I don't mind arcadey controls either. Colony Wars for the PS1 was a blast despite the fact that you just mainly flew around and shot stuff (the graphics at the time were pretty mind-blowing).

I just don't get it. People like me must be in the vast minority because it would seem to me that to make a space combat game would be relatively easier to do then a whole lot of other genres. Although in this day and age of liscensing engines, perhaps the engines out there for purchase require too much modification to use for space combat. . .It's easier to just pump out another FPS.

I considered picking up the other BG game for Xbox, but at the time I didn't really think much of the BG franchise, but I almost still bought it anyway just because it was a space combat game. I wonder if its backwards compatible?

 

Anywho, I'm very excited for this new game. This is the best news I've heard since I found out that they're releasing a 'settlers of Catan' game on Xbox Live any day now.

 

Edit: So the original Xbox BG is  backwards compatible. Is it worth picking up? Overall it seems to have gotten pretty mediocre to poor reviews.

I'm with you fighter combat is the way to go.    Freelancer was the last great PC space combat sim.

If you don't mind arcade space combat, SW battlefront II has pretty cool fighter combat. 

As for the original battlestar game, it's worth a rental, although you can probably find it dirt cheap used if you can find it at all. 

Keep in mind that the vypers, cylons and imagry are from the ORIGINAL BG series, not the new.  I did enjoy it until I got stuck on the classic "shoot down all the astroids before they impace your carrier" mission that is apparently as required in space games as lava levels and mine car levels are required in FPS's.

You can "Buy it Now" on e-bay for $2.99. 

http://cgi.ebay.com/BATTLESTAR-GALACTICA-ACTION-XBOX-NEW-AND-SEALED-FANTASY_W0QQitemZ230092001468QQihZ013QQcategoryZ62053QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

That's cheaper than renting and it's definitly worth 3 bucks.

Ooh, and check out this little neato kit for your 360:

http://cgi.ebay.com/New-Xbox-Skins-360-Battlestar-Galactica-Skin_W0QQitemZ190081258965QQihZ009QQcategoryZ20385QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

Gameplay, aesthetics: I like the elegance of giant ships going volley after
volley and lining up for a vicious broadides.

We're off to outer space
We're leaving Mother Earth
To save the human race
Our Star Blazers

Searching for a distant star
Heading off to Iscandar
Leaving all we love behind
Who knows what danger we'll find?

We must be strong and brave
Our home we've got to save
If we don't in just one year
Mother Earth will disappear

Fighting with the Gamilons
We won't stop until we've won
Then we'll return and when we arrive
The Earth will survive
With our Star Blazers

Ahh Star Blazers... how I miss thee.

 

Actually, there WAS and x-box game that sorta gave you that animie feeling.  Robotech, for the original X-box did indeed have a level or too of you flying around in space in your veratech figher between the massive cap-ships and their energy weapons.

Also not a bad rental... if you can find it.

Ahhhhhhhhhhh.............Starbalzers.

I remember the series and also remember the miniature combat system that was out for it a few years ago. My only issue with the game was the scale was too small.

I remember the system too.  While I didn't play the game, I did buy a miniature of the Argo, then I cut it in half and added it to my BFG ork Space Hulk as extra bits.

>