Space Siege - Dungeons were just not enough

[denizsi]

I tried to submit this to news, but it returned to me as a delivery status notificaton.

Sega has announced that <s>Hype</s> Gas Powered Games is taking their role-playing game series, Dungeon Siege, to the next level, out of dungeons and into the stars (literally). Meet Space Siege: Battlestar Galactica meets Mass Effect meets System Shock (replace SS with BioShock for more mainstream apeal).

Space Siege takes place in the confines of the Armstrong, one of the few remaining colonization ships carrying the last bastions of human civilization after a devastating attack on Earth from an unknown alien race. Players will take the role of Seth Walker, a cybernetics engineer suddenly thrust into a struggle to save humanity from extermination. As the adventure progresses Seth is offered opportunities to sacrifice pieces of his humanity for cybernetic upgrades that will assist him in his mission to preserve the human race. But what price will he pay to save his own humanity? Only the player can decide Seth’s ultimate fate.

“Chris Taylor and his talented team at Gas Powered Games are recognized as leading innovators in the industry,” said Scott A. Steinberg, Vice President of Marketing, SEGA of America, Inc. “Space Siege promises to be a compelling and innovative successor to the very popular Dungeon Siege franchise.”

Incorporating innovative cybernetic augmentations into its storyline, Space Siege explores the dilemmas faced while keeping one’s humanity in the face of adversity. Cybernetic augmentations can be performed on every part of Seth’s body. On the extreme end, players will be able to outfit Seth with cybernetic upgrades that will leave little or none of his original humanity intact. But this choice comes with the risk of alienating Seth from the people he’s trying to save. Players can also insist on preserving Seth’s humanity by not using upgrades, instead forging ahead clearing the Armstrong of its alien invaders with natural human ingenuity and strength. Such a decision will increase the difficulty of completing his mission of uncovering and eliminating the alien menace that’s bent on destroying the human race.

Space Siege features a dynamic storyline based upon the decisions the player makes throughout the course of the game. Based upon the cybernetic modifications the player chooses to make on Seth’s body, NPC’s will react and interact with the player differently and, ultimately, different story resolutions will be reached. Space Siege will feature a separate immersive co-op multiplayer mode allowing up to four players to create and experience a completely unique mission structure.

Not bad, in theory at least, but still a pity that it's rather seemingly metagaming and cosmetic choices they seem to be focusing on for aftereffects in this press release, rather than actual in-game choices.

 

[Naked_Lunch]

Seems pretty neat and if things pan out I darn well might be interested in this game. It's a really cool premise and I hope it doesn't suffer BioSyndrome (Good game ideas that are slowly dumbed-down with more and more press releases). Co-op sounds boss, especially if NPCs would react to each member differently and would lead to certain players becoming outcasts and eventually purged by the group.

 

[Müg]

I like space.

 

[OccupatedVoid]

More like: DIABLO IN SPACE!

 

[Section8]

I bet they wanted to call it "Star Siege" to be more like Blizzard, but then realised it was already a trademark.

 

[BigWeather]

Hey guys let's remake Ultima V in it and call it Laserus.

 

[cutterjohn]

Might be fun if they make it moddable, and actually get a more active modding community going with this than they managed with DS2.

That said, after installing DS2 under wine and getting over the incredibly shitty save system I've actually had a little bit of fun with DS2 this time around although that could be entirely due to my minimal number of games runnable under linux + wine ATM...

 

[Frau Bishop]

I like space.

In Space No One Can Hear You Scream.
*scnr*

 

[Kotario]

Well, the first Space Siege screenshots are out.

 

[NiM82]

Looks like it could be more tedious than the previous games combined (is that even possible?). Very bland and uninspired visually, the day-glo orange robot makes my eyes bleed..

Got to love industry fads though; Bioware announce Mass Effect, Beth get Fallout, Obsidian get the Aliens license and GPG come up with Spacesiege. RIP generic fantasy worlds - The time of the elves is over, the age of nuclear powered cars and lens flares is here!

 

[Texas Red]

Hmm, the graphics are on par with NWN 2 and it has been released for almost a year now. The grafix wont certainly impress anyone.

 

[Section8]

Wow, Supreme Commander must have been a real nail in the coffin for Taylor's creative freedom over publisher demands. I don't really see what satisfaction a game designer will get from creating what looks like a shabby sci-fi TC of Dungeon Siege.

 

[KeighnMcDeath]

Ok this game blew past my radar like any fucking asteroid that near misses earth. Space Siege? Really? I was intrigued a little even if I kept getting Star Siege and Tribes hits on google. So here:
1. Space Siege preview on Gamespot - too funny to be real
2. Space Siege Website Launches
3.Space Siege sounds like hot sex

Yeah so its
SPACE SIEGE

not
STAR SIEGE: TRIBES SERIES




Yeah, I only know of this because I was perusing David Arkenstone's library of music and checked out soundtracks. When I hit the link and saw Gas-powered games etc, I was like "WTF? When?"

Reviews are meh on this but I secured an ok copy for cheap along with Dungeon Siege III, and the Dungeon Siege II Broken World Add-on. I was disapointed DS3 add-on was digital DLC only. Oh well.

BTW,
Buy Dungeon Siege Collection
SPECIAL PROMOTION! Offer ends August 11
-85%. $19.99 $2.99 SALE

Yeah, I had gog but why the fuck not for a few bills. I also noticed you can add Legends of Aranna and Broken World to the GOG / Steam version now via methods I just didn't think of.
Enabling DS 1 & 2's Expansions on GOG's version

Now, my old boxes are gone so meh on collecting but physical media is fine. I might "try" to fire up Space Siege and see if it is really that terrible. I'll also rip the damn music files out assuming its as easy as Dungeon Siege was. I can't find a ost disc and youtube has none.

 

[Atlantico]

Two word review: Dungeon Shit.

 

[KeighnMcDeath]

My copy came yesterday. Shrinkwrapped new. And for about $6 yeah that's a warning. After logging into Lenny (native win8 upgraded win10 not online since 2016) I gave it a quick look then found a noDVD patch. Works fine on Lenny.

It seems like a dumbed doen DS though. I haven't played these move click, shift right click shit in ages. I forgot how clunky DS felt.

A lot of hotkeys don't work as the manual says esp quickload/quicksave. I guess I need to find some patches.

 

[KeighnMcDeath]

So, a few other "mods"
https://steamcommunity.com/app/10530/discussions/0/366298942107804805/

https://www.pcgamingwiki.com/wiki/Space_Siege#google_vignette

use gameburn world not fucktard copyworld as their nodvd is fucked
https://www.gameburnworld.com/gp/gamefixes/spacesiege.shtml
Password to extract files is: gbw

And that looks like thats it. Yeesh. Let me know if I missed something.

 

[d1nolore]

Actually looks petty cool. Looks like Battle Zone. Is it worth playing?

 

[True Ukrainian]

Not really.

 

[1451]

I remember this game. I had fun playing it.
The dilemma of adding mechanical parts to your body is non existent of course. Obviously you go full robot just like in deus ex.
It's a shame that most games followed the fantasy route and not the sci fi.
I guess nerds dislike spaceships, robots and aliens.
Everything must be a lotr clone.

 

[Atlantico]

I guess nerds dislike spaceships, robots and aliens.

Take your politicizing the game discussion somewhere else, this is a game forum.

 

[ERYFKRAD]

I remember this game. I had fun playing it.
The dilemma of adding mechanical parts to your body is non existent of course. Obviously you go full robot just like in deus ex.
It's a shame that most games followed the fantasy route and not the sci fi.
I guess nerds dislike spaceships, robots and aliens.
Everything must be a lotr clone.

Lmao who are you talking to.

 

[KeighnMcDeath]

As I said, it has been a while since I played the clunky DS interface. It seems a tad stripped down from DS imho.

1. There are bugs like quickload & quicksave just NOT working (numpad 7 & 9)

2. Rebinding is sort of a bitch.

3. CAMERA SUCKS

4. Enemy seems boring.

5. More of a railroad than DS.

6. The evade is a little shitty

Its a bit meh and the fucking intro repeats infinitely in the background on main menu.

There is really little equipment in the game. You find abilities, get a few skill points here and there as the game progresses. The only thing you are really after is "upgrade parts" which is like gold. I see no xp, no progressive skill raise (you buy all your shit and hp/def with parts).

I see this game as a one shot and you are DONE if you can stomach it. There are virtually no mods. I feel like this game took your MC and copied a little of the Engineer from Hellgate London. Grenades, bots, upgrades.

This is like a game that was quickly forgotten and swept under a dirty mat in the old spiderwebbed shed on the corner of a vacant property nobody has visited in decades.

I imagine that other game I was looking at is similar. The one that was Akella's early shit. Both are on steam but Numen: Contest of heroes is so obscure it fell into a crack in the floorboard and was covered with debris. I can't find a physical copy at all even if references are sort of there.

 

[Fowyr]

Lmao who are you talking to.

Obviously, to all five Codexers that are still not in his ignore list. Two of them are dead, though, and other three logged last time in '07.
Also I thought, for a moment, that denizsi is still posting. I remember a time when she (?) was a Codex staple.

 

[KeighnMcDeath]

Mobygames was a bit further than me upon looking at their site. Hilights (if you call it that) [I should take my own screenies as some here don't display my views adequately] are:

The world seems to be broken into hubs. I don't know if you can backtrack. I'll try. You also lose all your gear upon hypersleep so use ALL your grenades.

Used in conjunction with your map; this useless log just shows objectives and isn't interactive (as far as I can tell) like DS where it will replay important parts of your experience with voice acting. NOPE: Static objectives. That's it. Kind of to the point but meh.

After the first mini-act (after cryo-sleep) you will run into these.

These health modules are also auto-saves. Usually these also house a workbench that I can't find a pic of so need to screenie. Best I can do is...

It is here you can upgrade your "stats" and current gear, HRV (your robot buddy), armor etc. that 150 down there is your UPGRADE PARTS you randomly collect from killing baddies, opening up security boxes/lockers, and bashing various crates. Collect them...YOU NEED THEM BADLY!

An example of the WB upgrade screen. The armor section tab. I haven't upgraded much since there is a fuckload to upgrade even before your HPV bottbuddy bot. Those tabs show a Pistol (weapons), Shield (current armor screen), Bottbuddy Bot icon (your HPV Pal), and a gear looking thing which i guess is storage to increase max number of shit like medi kits, grenades, etc you can carry.

BTW, even if you don't need healing or have room; running over a medikit destroys it. Stupid (maybe the healing mod fixes this). No you do NOT slowly regen health as far as I can tell. Your blue mana/power bar does regenerate.

Abilities screen used by #s on your hotbar like some MMO. You find fireclip and maybe all further skills. I haven't used a skill point yet and have been sitting at default. Seems you acquire skill points as the chapters progress not by killing as far as i can tell. Yeah, mobs are good for the few parts only it seems.

So, while it shows all available tree parts for you and your HRV pal, only a few are lit up with the scant points in each hotkey skill. I hope you can "autobot" your hpv abilities because managing my own and dodging is bitchy enough. Note the orange LIFE BAR and RED LIFE BAR. You are red and bot is orange. He can be utterly destroyed.

Now here's the fucky part. It says he can be repaired if you have parts and click these:

See that module behind me & bottbuddy. That thing will instantly heal him when clicked. They are around here and there usually close to your own WB/healer module. The bug is it makes no sound when clicked. Look at botbar and notice it is healed.

If all these modules are located near your healing/save modules then they are nigh worthless. For free when you enter your healing module; bottbuddy is instantly restored.

SAVING:
This is a REGION SAVE, there are AUTOSAVES which seem to happen in your healing modules. Quickload/Save seem to fucking fail and I have to manually save (you can name those like DUDE1 DUDEFUCK, etc).

Here's the bitch and its like a checkpoint hub like diablo loading; no matter where saved you usually always start at either the last healing center or beginning of the region. That is rather sucky and not like DS at all. Fuck you very much D2.

That said, bottbuddy is a good pal to have around and kill/soak up the damage. As far as I know, its the only combat NPC you will have. Others are stationary idiots in their sectors. Soldiers will fight & die and noncombatants will run away or lead you to your objective points. Only you and sexy bottbuddy are important.

The future with energy weapons and forcefields? I dunno. But these terminator reptoid fuckers will try to end us. Maybe I'll find out.

A note on voice acting: Your main character Seth has a voice that seems familiar like from an anime. Its not bad tbh. Some of the others are grating and the dialogue is unremarkable tbh. Just meh, but I'm in a meh mood so maybe that's just me.

Easy to install on older computers (all mine are laptops using vga cable to an older flatscreen monitor. Said monitor is old and too fucking dark even with contrast & brightnrss at 100%). I'll fuck with ingame display more. It fits widescreen on my computer 13??x??? W/e. Maybe it would do more, who the fuck knows.

Besides the scant few steamfags, I'm probably the only human playing this game on earth. Gee, now the setting almost fits the game. I don't have a fuckbot to assist my gameplay though.

Extra Note:
It is a mouse keyboard game. I serious doubt gamepad would work. Movement is click a spot and you run too it not a WASD/ARROW key move. No, that shit is for camera along with putting mouse cursor at the extremes of screen and using middle mouse roller button.

Left click to point move/use interface. Right click ON enemey to shoot/attack. SHIFT right click to swing/fire at anything so you can destroy space ordinance and vandalize computers costing the manufacturers of the Armstrong billions. You go you fucking anarchist.

....End current report.

 

[KeighnMcDeath]

Lol. I will not be using these until after I finsh the game.

Spoiler

Insert the cheats listed below into the in-game cheats console for the desired result.

• allabilities - Gives all abilities
• alldevices - Max-out inventory
• allweapons - Gives all weapons
• brucesmash - Kill anything in one hit
• god - God Mode
• heal - Fills health completely
• healthpacks X - Gives health packs (where X = amount)
• killplayer - Kills player automatically
• onesmallstepforman - Acquire the space suit
• parts X - Gives parts (where X = amount)
• resetskills - Resets skill tree
• skillpoints X - Gives skill points (where X = amount)

Or the walkthrough. GAMEFAQ

Another Review:

Windows XP/Vista

Space Siege is a click and kill RPG from Chris Taylor and Gas Powered Games, the makers of Dungeon Siege. Instead of taking place in medieval times, the story takes place in the 2200\'s. As mankind set out to colonize out into space, they ran into the Kerak alien race. The Keraks have invaded earth and there\'s only a handful of humans left on a colony ship called the Armstrong. The Keraks have boarded the Armstrong and it\'s up to you, Seth Walker, to save humanity from extinction.

Fortunately, you\'re not alone. You have friends and technology at your disposal to give the human race a fighting chance. Instead of finding gold and treasure chests as in typical RPG\'s, you\'ll find tool boxes, weapon caches, and upgrade parts. With these upgrade parts you can upgrade your armor, weapons, and engineering abilities. You\'ll construct and equip a robot companion named HR-V (Harvey). HR-V has unique abilities and is upgradeable too. If HR-V dies, you can construct another in a manufacturing facility at the cost of some upgrade materials. He does have a self repair routine, but he heals over time, and it\'s not instant like a medkit.

Your friends will interact with you and give you their .02 about cybernetic technology. As you explore, you\'ll find data pads that record people\'s thoughts during the invasion. Some of the messages recorded are humorous, others are sad. For example there\'s a log of a father searching for his daughter. Another data pad talks about a guy thinking a girl is checking him out and later you find her data pad saying that a weird guy was freaking her out. The character development was pretty good but the story and plot was predictable.

A controversial but helpful technology is also available if you choose to use it. Along your journey, you\'ll come across cybernetic parts that will exchange your humanity for power. The cybernetics do offer special abilities, but is it worth it in the end? There are multiple endings and game paths depending on the decisions you make in this game.

The maps are pretty linear and once you clear an area, the enemies will not respawn. Doors will open up as they are needed for your missions, so there\'s not a whole lot of room for exploration. One nice feature is that there\'s a transit system so it\'s easy to get to the different sections of the ship without having to re-trace your steps.

The game play is similar in both the single player and multiplayer modes. You have objectives to complete and as you complete them, you get more work to do. There are swarms of aliens, cyborgs, and turrets to defeat. The occasional boss adds some variety as well. The single player story line is extremely short, so expect about 10-15 hours of game play. Multiplayer does add some more life to the game, but there are no active servers as of this writing. Creating a server was easy but nobody hopped on during the time I was playing. The single player character does not transfer into the mutliplayer modes, but the weapons seem to.

The game engine looks like a tweaked version of the Dungeon Siege II engine. The interface is easy to use and the game ran flawlessly. Although I did not experience any stability issues, there is a patch to help with drive detection errors with the copy protection. If you can run the game, you don\'t need the patch.

When it comes to graphics, it is not cutting edge, but they look good. There are several alien variations and they all look unique. The maps are not super detailed or colorful but it\'s not necessarily a luxury cruiser or a cheery atmosphere.
The voice acting is good and the background music adds to the atmosphere. I didn\'t like the looping story narration in the game menu; the ability to disable it would have been nice. The explosions and enemy taunts & noises were good.

There was a fair amount of swearing in this game. Da*n and bast*** were used a few times. Violence is a given but it\'s not very gory. There is a possible romance but nothing inappropriate from what I saw. With the human race in danger, falling in love is encouraged!

Overall this game is a bit underwhelming. The concept is nice and the game is nicely polished, but the short amount of game play is very disappointing. Online play is available but it isn\'t very fun if there is no one to play with. I\'m glad I didn\'t pay full retail price; I found it at discounted for $25 but as of this writing you can get it on steam for $18, which is a fair price. There\'s a demo available as well.


Final Ratings

Game Play 12/20
Graphics 7/10
Sound 7/10
Stability 5/5
Interface 5/5
Appropriateness 41.5/50
-5 for blood and violence
-3.5 for swearing

Overall 77.5%

So, I do need ro screenie shit like objectives and region maps for a pseudo guide. Maybe after I find my DS physical maps and manuals. Annoying.