DumpsterDave
11-09-2009, 11:57 AM
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Publisher: EA
Game Cost: Free - $
Game Type: Real Time Strategy
Number of Players: Single Player, 2-12 player co-op, 1v1 or 2v2 PvP
Game Modes: Single Player Campaign, Multiplayer Campaign, PvP
Average play time: 30-45m per mission
Levels of Difficulty - 3 (Standard, Advanced, Expert)
Monthly Cost - No
Description
Battleforge is a RTS game with two purchase options. Free, and around $10. You can download the game, completely free of charge from http://www.battleforge.com (http://www.battleforge.com) or can purchase the retail version from vendors such as Amazon.com or Best Buy. Aside from two differences, which are described below, there is absolutely no difference in the free and paid versions of the game. Battleforge is like many other RTS games in that you control different units, buildings, and spells to complete the objectives of the scenario. It differs however in that there are no set sides in the game. You collect and deploy cards of different factions which allows an almost unlimited number of possible configurations and options.
The Armies
Currently, there are 4 factions of cards that can be played. Fire, Frost, Shadow, and Nature. Each faction has a different focus. Fire is focused on raw damage. Cards of this type typically do the most damage overall. Frost is focused on strong defense. Frost units are typically the hardest to kill. Shadow is all about risk. There is alot of damage potential in the shadow deck, but it comes at a cost of reducing units HP or killing them completely. Nature is a strong support factions with alot of Crowd Control and Healing spells.
The Cards
Depending on which version of the game you choose, you start with one of two decks. This is one of the differences in the retail/free version of the game. The retail version of the game comes with 16 cards from each faction for a total of 64 cards. The free version comes with 8 from each faction for a total of 32. You can view the Free Deck (http://battleforge.wikia.com/wiki/Play4Free) and Retail Deck (http://battleforge.wikia.com/wiki/Starter_Decks) on the wiki site (http://battleforge.wikia.com). The retail version of the game also comes with 3000 battleforge points (more later) that can be used to purchase further cards. When you play the game, you can use up to 20 cards at a time. This is called the deck. It can contain any mix of cards. There is no requirements as to what cards are in your deck at any time, however there are smart choices and dumb ones. Each card has an orb/faction requirement. Cards will either require 1, 2, 3, or 4 orbs to be played. Of these orbs, a card can require some of those orbs to either be of a specific faction, or any faction.
http://images2.wikia.nocookie.net/battleforge/images/thumb/7/7e/Stone_of_Torment-0.jpg/240px-Stone_of_Torment-0.jpg Stone of Torment for example, requires two orbs. Of those two orbs, one is required to be a shadow orb, the other can be of any type. Currently, there are over 260 different cards that can be aqquired and used. This allows for a pretty much endless combination (262!/242!) of decks.
Gameplay
You start each scneario the same way. You have a neutral orb, that is free of cost. With this orb, you can deploy any first era (1 orb requirement) card. The orb will then become that type of orb. For instance, if you play a 1 orb shadow card, your neutral orb will become a shadow orb. As you progress through the game, you can build both Power Wells (which always cost 100 energy to construct) and Monuments (Orbs). Different maps have differnt ammounts of power wells. Each power well contains 1000 energy, and increases your production rate by 1 every two seconds. Energy has a flow. There is your Power Pool, Available Power, Lost Power, and Void Power. Every time you build a power well, 1000 energy is added to your pool. You production rate is the rate at which power moves from the pool to the available power. If for instance you have two wells, you will move 2 energy from the pool to available every two seconds until the pool is depleted or the game ends (whichever comes first). Once a power well is depleted, it destroys itself, and you loose one production point. Depleted wells cannot be re-built. Void power is like a power recycler. Whenever a unit is created, it requires a certain ammount of Energy. This cost is shown in the upper right of each card. http://images1.wikia.nocookie.net/battleforge/images/thumb/9/9c/Master_Archers-0.jpg/240px-Master_Archers-0.jpg Master Archers for instance require 50 energy to deploy. When you deploy them 50 energy is deducted from your available ammount. When the unit is killed, or destroyed, 90% of the original cost is refunded into your void power which like the power pool, makes it's way back into your available energy. Spells on the other hand will place 100% of their required energy into the void pool immediately after casting. Lost energy is energy that is lost (such as the 10% after unit death). Lost energy can never be recovered. Energy is therefore the only resource in the game besides monuments and power wells.
Otherwise, the game plays much like any other RTS in that you create buildings and units. It should be noted that there are no technologies to research, and no single type of building is required to make any given unit.
Upgrades
There are two types of upgrades. Charge Upgrades, and Unit Upgrades. When you complete a scenario, you are give either 2 or 4 Unit upgarde cards. 1 Player missions yield 2 cards. Multiplayer missions yield 4. Depending on the difficulty level, you will eiter get a Upgrade 1, 2, or 3 card. Each level of upgrade requires that the previous level(s) be applied first. Standard missions yield upgrade 1 cards. Advanced yields upgrade 2, etc. Applying an upgrade also costs a certain ammount of gold. Gold is aqquired from chest in the mission, from completing the mission, and from duplicate upgrade cards. The unit upgrade cards enhance the unit and/or abilities such as increasing damage, increased health, reduced energy costs, etc. Charge upgrades are used to increase the maximum number of units that can be deployed before any cooldown is required. Charge upgrades cannot be aqquired from missions. They are obtained by having a duplicate of a card. These can either be gotten with expansion packs (bought with battelforge points), or obtained on the auction house, or through direct trade. A charge upgrade must be used either at the same time, or after a unit upgrade has been used. Charge upgardes do NOT cost any gold to use. The duplicate card is consumed in the process.
More to come....
Publisher: EA
Game Cost: Free - $
Game Type: Real Time Strategy
Number of Players: Single Player, 2-12 player co-op, 1v1 or 2v2 PvP
Game Modes: Single Player Campaign, Multiplayer Campaign, PvP
Average play time: 30-45m per mission
Levels of Difficulty - 3 (Standard, Advanced, Expert)
Monthly Cost - No
Description
Battleforge is a RTS game with two purchase options. Free, and around $10. You can download the game, completely free of charge from http://www.battleforge.com (http://www.battleforge.com) or can purchase the retail version from vendors such as Amazon.com or Best Buy. Aside from two differences, which are described below, there is absolutely no difference in the free and paid versions of the game. Battleforge is like many other RTS games in that you control different units, buildings, and spells to complete the objectives of the scenario. It differs however in that there are no set sides in the game. You collect and deploy cards of different factions which allows an almost unlimited number of possible configurations and options.
The Armies
Currently, there are 4 factions of cards that can be played. Fire, Frost, Shadow, and Nature. Each faction has a different focus. Fire is focused on raw damage. Cards of this type typically do the most damage overall. Frost is focused on strong defense. Frost units are typically the hardest to kill. Shadow is all about risk. There is alot of damage potential in the shadow deck, but it comes at a cost of reducing units HP or killing them completely. Nature is a strong support factions with alot of Crowd Control and Healing spells.
The Cards
Depending on which version of the game you choose, you start with one of two decks. This is one of the differences in the retail/free version of the game. The retail version of the game comes with 16 cards from each faction for a total of 64 cards. The free version comes with 8 from each faction for a total of 32. You can view the Free Deck (http://battleforge.wikia.com/wiki/Play4Free) and Retail Deck (http://battleforge.wikia.com/wiki/Starter_Decks) on the wiki site (http://battleforge.wikia.com). The retail version of the game also comes with 3000 battleforge points (more later) that can be used to purchase further cards. When you play the game, you can use up to 20 cards at a time. This is called the deck. It can contain any mix of cards. There is no requirements as to what cards are in your deck at any time, however there are smart choices and dumb ones. Each card has an orb/faction requirement. Cards will either require 1, 2, 3, or 4 orbs to be played. Of these orbs, a card can require some of those orbs to either be of a specific faction, or any faction.
http://images2.wikia.nocookie.net/battleforge/images/thumb/7/7e/Stone_of_Torment-0.jpg/240px-Stone_of_Torment-0.jpg Stone of Torment for example, requires two orbs. Of those two orbs, one is required to be a shadow orb, the other can be of any type. Currently, there are over 260 different cards that can be aqquired and used. This allows for a pretty much endless combination (262!/242!) of decks.
Gameplay
You start each scneario the same way. You have a neutral orb, that is free of cost. With this orb, you can deploy any first era (1 orb requirement) card. The orb will then become that type of orb. For instance, if you play a 1 orb shadow card, your neutral orb will become a shadow orb. As you progress through the game, you can build both Power Wells (which always cost 100 energy to construct) and Monuments (Orbs). Different maps have differnt ammounts of power wells. Each power well contains 1000 energy, and increases your production rate by 1 every two seconds. Energy has a flow. There is your Power Pool, Available Power, Lost Power, and Void Power. Every time you build a power well, 1000 energy is added to your pool. You production rate is the rate at which power moves from the pool to the available power. If for instance you have two wells, you will move 2 energy from the pool to available every two seconds until the pool is depleted or the game ends (whichever comes first). Once a power well is depleted, it destroys itself, and you loose one production point. Depleted wells cannot be re-built. Void power is like a power recycler. Whenever a unit is created, it requires a certain ammount of Energy. This cost is shown in the upper right of each card. http://images1.wikia.nocookie.net/battleforge/images/thumb/9/9c/Master_Archers-0.jpg/240px-Master_Archers-0.jpg Master Archers for instance require 50 energy to deploy. When you deploy them 50 energy is deducted from your available ammount. When the unit is killed, or destroyed, 90% of the original cost is refunded into your void power which like the power pool, makes it's way back into your available energy. Spells on the other hand will place 100% of their required energy into the void pool immediately after casting. Lost energy is energy that is lost (such as the 10% after unit death). Lost energy can never be recovered. Energy is therefore the only resource in the game besides monuments and power wells.
Otherwise, the game plays much like any other RTS in that you create buildings and units. It should be noted that there are no technologies to research, and no single type of building is required to make any given unit.
Upgrades
There are two types of upgrades. Charge Upgrades, and Unit Upgrades. When you complete a scenario, you are give either 2 or 4 Unit upgarde cards. 1 Player missions yield 2 cards. Multiplayer missions yield 4. Depending on the difficulty level, you will eiter get a Upgrade 1, 2, or 3 card. Each level of upgrade requires that the previous level(s) be applied first. Standard missions yield upgrade 1 cards. Advanced yields upgrade 2, etc. Applying an upgrade also costs a certain ammount of gold. Gold is aqquired from chest in the mission, from completing the mission, and from duplicate upgrade cards. The unit upgrade cards enhance the unit and/or abilities such as increasing damage, increased health, reduced energy costs, etc. Charge upgrades are used to increase the maximum number of units that can be deployed before any cooldown is required. Charge upgrades cannot be aqquired from missions. They are obtained by having a duplicate of a card. These can either be gotten with expansion packs (bought with battelforge points), or obtained on the auction house, or through direct trade. A charge upgrade must be used either at the same time, or after a unit upgrade has been used. Charge upgardes do NOT cost any gold to use. The duplicate card is consumed in the process.
More to come....