SpellForce 2 - Faith in Destiny

[Burnheart]

I was just looking at the coming soon section of play.coms pc game section when i find this http://www.play.com/Games/PC/4-/9644...y/Product.html is it real?

[Free Flinker]

It wouldn't be the first time a false alarm pre-order was announced by a store but it wouldn't be the first time external news pipped the official news to the post either, so who knows. I guess we'll have to wait and see.

[Uncle Snake]

I doubt it´s for real. Expansion sounds to me like a second AddOn, but only EAPhenomic got the Code (or the rights for it), and they won´t work for Jowood anymore, for sure...

But hey, we´re talking about Jowood, anything is possible

[Androdion]

Sounds pretty fake and a google search shows that the only place it exists is in that link, so...

Talking about pre-orders, there's a pretty decent and nationally famous game store chain here in Portugal and they have a shop near my home, so last christmas 2008 they where doing pre-sales on Starcraft 2 (imagine that the game isn't yet developed at this time), and if at the time I thought that they were out of their minds...now they're doing the pre-sale for Diablo 3 (which isn't fully developed yet also), so I wouldn't trust those news!

[Androdion]

Well guess I was wrong. OMG a new SF expansion!!!

It's going to be the longest six months ever to exist...

[you2]

http://rpgwatch.com/#12113

[robertjanvaneijk1988]

Please add a savegame function for Skirmish. I'd never played this game cause I only have 1 hour a day which isn't enough for Skirmish...Also a little graphic update would be nice.

[llill]

Yay!!! hope it will be a add on to SF 2 and not a new game with a lot of new bugs.

[Drago Ferrak]

yay a new part of Spellforce this rockz
JoWood make it good

[Free Flinker]

Originally Posted by robertjanvaneijk1988

Please add a savegame function for Skirmish. I'd never played this game cause I only have 1 hour a day which isn't enough for Skirmish...Also a little graphic update would be nice.

Probably the lack of a save function has to do with skirmishes being used for multiplayer games. As for graphics updates, you can see all that's known so far in the official press release, where David Skreiner, Associate Producer at JoWooD is quoted as saying:

“With its brand new multiplayer features and the countless detail improvements, SpellForce will, once more, set new revolutionary impulses to the genre."

While they also state that they have listened to player feeback, afaik, asking for a skirmish save isn't something that's been asked for until you did and that, I suspect, has come a bit too late to add to the 'list' if it isn't already on.

Originally Posted by llill

Yay!!! hope it will be a add on to SF 2 and not a new game with a lot of new bugs.

It is indeed an addon, being SpellForce 2: Faith in Destiny and not SF3 That said, you do realise that bugs can occur in any software so just because it is an addon, it doesn't mean that it will be bug free. Hopefully all will be well but I wouldn't want you to walk away with a false expectation that addons mean bug-free.

[Androdion]

@ FF - It's going to be an expansion, but I'm still wondering if they're going to change the gameplay a bit (a little more SF1-like) like they did from SW to DS which is more RPG oriented than RTS as you and I have talked so many times and so extendedly!

Also I can't seem to understand how the Avatars we played are coming back, considering their ending!

My main doubt is the interlacing of the already existing SF story with the new, and this time without an Archfire related plot or without the introduction of a new race, an alternate route to the same goal as the Shaikan ended being.

Adding to that my main question is, will SF2 FiD be a more mainstream or more SF fan oriented kind of game? As they say in the press release it seems like the second option, but that would imply a bit of a revolution in the game mechanics. Although this comes clashing with the fact that it's a SF2 add-on and by that matter it would have the same game mechanics I can't stop wondering if they plan to release it as a stand alone add-on, from the likes of what Painkiller Overdose was. It is the same game, with the same mechanics but it doesn't require any previous titles installed to play it.

IF it would be a stand alone add-on then there could be some departure from game mechanics (still basing the game on the same code lines) and some bug-free improvement since there wouldn't be any colliding versions like what happened with SW and DS!

But as I said above it's going to be a long six moths...considering it comes out at the right time and there's no delays. I hope it comes out triumphant!

[Free Flinker]

It's going to be an expansion, but I'm still wondering if they're going to change the gameplay a bit (a little more SF1-like) like they did from SW to DS which is more RPG oriented than RTS as you and I have talked so many times and so extendedly

No idea if gameplay will change but from the sound of it, probably not unless it has to do with something a lot of players asked for. However, I'd have thought such changes would be more additional features than completely rewriting game code, especially if it's to accomodate the crowd who were essentially doing what similar crowds do on every other game with a sequel - complaining it's not what they were used to. Meanwhile, plenty were satisfied and yes, some even preferred the new way so it'd be a risk to revert something only to discover those who preferred it were a silent majority after all.

Besides, this is an addon and not another sequel so it doesn't seem likely, IMO, that they'd change SF2 gameplay too much. But, who knows. A few months is not so long a wait to find out and it could be sooner if/when they decide release more info.

Also I can't seem to understand how the Avatars we played are coming back, considering their ending!

Well, the press release only says...

"SpellForce 2 – Faith in Destiny combines real time strategy with exciting role-play elements. Be part of the story, when all the loose ends tie up in a grandiose showdown between good and evil. Only you can conquer the shadows of the past and reveal the demonic conspiracy."

...which doesn't necessarily mean they will bring back anything but "loose ends" to be tied up. There's no mention of specific features or of anything specific at all really so as things stand right now we could see anything, or nothing much (at least in some opinions - it's all relative, depending on your pov).

My main doubt is the interlacing of the already existing SF story with the new, and this time without an Archfire related plot or without the introduction of a new race, an alternate route to the same goal as the Shaikan ended being.

Well, they haven't actually given out much info. Remember that this is just an initial press release, designed to tell us it is being made. I expect more info will be forthcoming soon enough, so that anything we might speculate will be moot.

Adding to that my main question is, will SF2 FiD be a more mainstream or more SF fan oriented kind of game? As they say in the press release it seems like the second option, but that would imply a bit of a revolution in the game mechanics. Although this comes clashing with the fact that it's a SF2 add-on and by that matter it would have the same game mechanics I can't stop wondering if they plan to release it as a stand alone add-on, from the likes of what Painkiller Overdose was. It is the same game, with the same mechanics but it doesn't require any previous titles installed to play it.

Remember that seeing the final product is what counts and you have to read such things in context so while I mean no disrespect to anyone involved in the press release, 'catering to fans' could mean a great many things at this stage. It is, after all, quite vague when you think about it. I require more info before that makes any sense to me because right now I'm left to fill in the blanks for myself, as we all are. The [insert what it means to you here] meaning will no doubt be as varied as there are people reading it.

IF it would be a stand alone add-on then there could be some departure from game mechanics (still basing the game on the same code lines) and some bug-free improvement since there wouldn't be any colliding versions like what happened with SW and DS!

Again, it's too early to tell what they plan.

I wish they'd get on with telling us but I guess that the longer they wait, the more anticipation it will build. Problem is, if they wait too long then anticipation will turn into dissatisfaction so we have to trust that they know what they're doing and that the game will be enjoyable to the majority of SF fans. If not then there will be fewer SF fans, not a good thing for anyone concerned so they have plenty of incentive to make a good job of it, whatever we end up with

But as I said above it's going to be a long six moths...considering it comes out at the right time and there's no delays. I hope it comes out triumphant!

We've waited about 2 years already so what's 6 more months It wasn't even certain that SF had a future at all so I look at it as a bonus, however long they take. But yeah, they should still hurry up and if they can't show us any quicker then they need to tell us quicker

[lord alexander]

I'm hoping for lots of new armours and multiple upgrades for all factions not just shaikan. Also an increase in level cap and more 1 handed weapons.

[Androdion]

Well is as you say, it's pretty soon to tell and info is very scarce so the only thing we can do is speculate, and wonder!

I'm waiting anxiously for any more news, I have all the respect for the Jowood people even though I liked SF1 much more than SF2, and I'll keep having the same respect for them even if FiD comes out crappy which I surely hope it doesn't! And despite my personal liking one thing was always amazing about the SF series and that was the story behind the game.

So until we hear something else.

[JimmySmithsRocks]

I think it´s real, because I´ve already saw it on too many webpages like fansites of rol, and I wonder if it´s actually true, I´ll be soooo happy that spellforce keeps being alive!!!

!!!!

[Free Flinker]

Originally Posted by JimmySmithsRocks

I think it´s real, because I´ve already saw it on too many webpages like fansites of rol, and I wonder if it´s actually true, I´ll be soooo happy that spellforce keeps being alive!!!

!!!!

At the time the original post was made there was no announcement so no one was sure if it was for real. Now, the announcement has been made so yes, it is real.

Just check the announcements board, the top of any page on this forum or the official press release. You might want to read, or at least glance at, previous posts in a thread before posting because we've been discussing the official press release info here already. I even included a link

[Free Flinker]

Originally Posted by Androdion

Well is as you say, it's pretty soon to tell and info is very scarce so the only thing we can do is speculate, and wonder!

I'm waiting anxiously for any more news, I have all the respect for the Jowood people even though I liked SF1 much more than SF2, and I'll keep having the same respect for them even if FiD comes out crappy which I surely hope it doesn't! And despite my personal liking one thing was always amazing about the SF series and that was the story behind the game.

So until we hear something else.

Something else to consider is that success usually prompts more titles being made. SF's popularity has already spawned a sequel which will soon have two addons under it's belt, like SF1. Who knows what further development past this will bring cuz if we're hoping then why not hope for there eventually being an SF3 that's even better

[joepie91]

I'm really glad there will be a new expansion, although I'm a little disappointed that it's developed by DreamCatcher instead of Phenomic. But since Phenomic fused with EA, I don't think there is a lot they can do about it

Can't wait however. And JoWood, PLEASE do some advertising outside Germany. I told a few people here in the Netherlands about the Spellforce series and they all love it. If you did a bit more advertising, there would certainly be way more people that buy the game.

By the way, the local game store told me about this release about 3 or 4 weeks ago. It's already in the databases, including release date. They did not have game details though.

[Androdion]

As I said above stores tend to make "empty boxes/cute game posters" pre-sales on very anticipated games. Like the ones from Blizzard that have been for pre-sale for almost a year and are still in development. So I guess that's normal!

@ FF - Yeah you're right. If we're asking why not ask it big and go for a future SF3 release? In the end I guess it will depend too much on FiD's feedback though. Jowood just got a working formula (SF series) broken with Phenomic going to EA. Now they're trying to get back on their feet using another dev team. If that goes good then I believe SF3 is on the way! It it goes a bit sour I don't believe they'll invest more in the series. And I don't mean about sales, well of course I do, but not in that sense. When a community as large as ours is built around a game the company responsible for that game knows that they have a market they can explore so the mainstream sales won't matter that much, I think what will matter the most is how the community reacts to it.

If we all say, or at least the bigger half, "it's pretty cool go on" then welcome SF3. If not they won't bother doing another bad sequel/add-on to a game series that has that many followers and spoil it! IMHO that's the way it's going to happen, so give all you've got devs, however you are. I don't mind that you're obscure or unknown to the rest of the world, Phenomic was also and look at it now! Go for the gold medal!

[Free Flinker]

Originally Posted by joepie91

I'm really glad there will be a new expansion, although I'm a little disappointed that it's developed by DreamCatcher instead of Phenomic. But since Phenomic fused with EA, I don't think there is a lot they can do about it

Dreamcatcher is JoWood's North American partner. AFAIK they are a distributor, not a developer. No one has mentioned a developer specifically but contrary to one external report, it obviously won't be EAPhenomic.

Can't wait however. And JoWood, PLEASE do some advertising outside Germany. I told a few people here in the Netherlands about the Spellforce series and they all love it. If you did a bit more advertising, there would certainly be way more people that buy the game.

To be fair, they haven't actually advertised at all yet. They only just announced it.

By the way, the local game store told me about this release about 3 or 4 weeks ago. It's already in the databases, including release date. They did not have game details though.

FWIW no one has details yet, just a press release.