Citadels

Martok · July 25, 2013, 12:11:49 PM

Apparently, it's now available for pre-order (at least on GamersGate).

Anyone heard more about this game? I've seen a few scattered mentions of it over the last couple months, but very little actual information. I don't know if that means the game is in poor shape, or if there just hasn't been much marketing done for it yet, or what. The lack of info bothers me, but after reading the description and features list, it sounds like it could be fun.

TheCommandTent · July 25, 2013, 12:24:08 PM

I does look like it could be fun but then again like you have I have not heard anything until this post.

LongBlade · July 25, 2013, 01:49:57 PM

Looks like an updated Lords of the Realm.

It uses Steamworks as DRM but there's nothing in the Steam store about it. Who's the dev?

LongBlade · July 25, 2013, 01:51:08 PM

Found it: Bit-composer. http://www.bit-composer.com/www_en/game.aspx?gameid=f452902c-c8a0-4c0a-bdd1-90e628a5a4d1

It releases tomorrow in German-speaking Europe.

Anguille · July 25, 2013, 02:35:55 PM

Looks more like Medieval Lords to me...could be fun.

LongBlade · July 25, 2013, 02:36:24 PM

I just sent them an email. We'll see what comes of it.

LongBlade · July 25, 2013, 03:14:15 PM

Good news!

I have a game key. Downloading now. Hope to have some impressions maybe as early as tonight.

Gusington · July 25, 2013, 06:08:52 PM

Interesting looking, kinda like AoE on steroids. Post impressions!

son_of_montfort · July 25, 2013, 07:57:03 PM

Quote from: LongBlade on July 25, 2013, 03:14:15 PM
Good news!

I have a game key. Downloading now. Hope to have some impressions maybe as early as tonight.

Yes, because the resident medieval expert wouldn't have been a good choice for that key... :P ;D

Actually, I'm glad you can look at it, I'm busy this weekend and would love to know the low-down before release! I'll say I'm skeptical, however. It comes out of nowhere, nobody developer, and uses King Arthur. That smells like doom to me.

LongBlade · July 25, 2013, 08:33:19 PM

Quote from: son_of_montfort on July 25, 2013, 07:57:03 PM
Quote from: LongBlade on July 25, 2013, 03:14:15 PM
Good news!

I have a game key. Downloading now. Hope to have some impressions maybe as early as tonight.

Yes, because the resident medieval expert wouldn't have been a good choice for that key... :P ;D

Actually, I'm glad you can look at it, I'm busy this weekend and would love to know the low-down before release! I'll say I'm skeptical, however. It comes out of nowhere, nobody developer, and uses King Arthur. That smells like doom to me.

Well, it's certainly not much of a historical medieval city sim.

Lots of peasant pushing. Peasants get cranked out automatically.

There's not tutorial so you may struggle for 15 minutes figuring it out. There are four basic resources: wood, ore, stone, and food. You can, for example, build an ore building in the middle of nowhere. There doesn't seem to be an indicator that you've screwed up. However, searching around the map it's easy enough to spot where you should build a quarry or mine. "Sheds" are the equivalent of housing and you'll need to crank lots of those out to house expand your population.

Peasants are also a kind of resource. They're used to construct buildings and fortifications but they're also used to be sent to a training ground to become archers or swordsmen.

I've only spent about half an hour with it so I'm not really that familiar with the ins and outs. My first mission is to crush an enemy village. So I'm turtling: taking my time building stuff to see how it works. Slowly building a wall around my property to shelter behind in case I'm attacked.

Let me upload some images to my Photobucket account and I'll see if I can explain further.

LongBlade · July 25, 2013, 08:37:46 PM

OK, a few things going on here.

On the left you'll see stakes in the ground and some swordsmen and archers standing behind it. I'm also in the process of ordering a wall to be constructed.

To the right you'll see walls of rock and a quarry. The building there can be built anywhere but doesn't really warn you not to put it where it won't be of use. As the company is German I'm speculating that we're seeing a European-style release where later patches will polish the game a bit further. So far no glitchy bugs, but hints as to what-not-to-do would be helpful.

LongBlade · July 25, 2013, 08:39:36 PM

Here I've built a farm. A couple of other buildings are there too. To the top of the picture is a river.

LongBlade · July 25, 2013, 08:41:30 PM

Here I've built a mine to extract ore.

Clearly one of the objectives is going to be balancing resource gathering with fortification. Simple questions like whether I should attempt to shelter this mine can pose a problem as it's fairly outside of my core area. It will take a *lot* of wood to keep it sheltered.

LongBlade · July 25, 2013, 08:43:21 PM

Here's my core village area as I was starting. The ore (which I haven't discovered yet) is down the cliff just above the tower that's in the upper center.

Note there is a training ground being built to the right. Further to the right is an already constructed mine - doing nothing.

LongBlade · July 25, 2013, 08:45:34 PM

OK, with half an hour of gameplay it's not fair for me to do more than suggest a few impressions.

Overall there's a solid game here. It could use some polish but it's certainly playable.

Guys who enjoy city building, resource gathering and a bit of combat may enjoy this.

I have no idea whether more elaborate siege equipment will be introduced later on. My guess is it will be. This is the first mission of the first campaign/game. Next up will be to poke around for documentation.