I recently replayed Dune

I've been going through a lot of science fiction lately, both books and games, including reading some new stuff and re-reading some old stuff (Darth Bane trilogy, Dune, etc). Eventually I couldn't resist digging up the old Westwood classic Dune, which is an adventure/strategy hybrid loosely based on the book.

What a fantastic game! I remembered it being good, but I was surprised by how well it had aged - even the drawings (graphics) and music has aged well.

The weird thing is, I can't find any other game that uses a similar formula of combining adventure with strategy. I've seen a lot of RPG/strategy hybrids, but that's not what I'm talking about. I'm talking about building up something of a dynasty on a personal level - the Fremen aren't just troops to me; I've met the troop leaders and worked to get their allegiance. The whole experience is so much more personal than that of Dune 2 and similar games.

Speaking of which, I'm currently replaying Dune 2000 (the upgraded version of Dune 2), and I intend to replay Dune: Emperor afterwards. Excellent games. Isn't it a bit odd that no Dune title has found its way to any digital store? Not even GOG has any. I find that weird.

Anyway, enough rambling, I just felt the need to express how impressed I was by this old classic.

I played a Dune RTS back in the day, can't remember which one but it felt very like the original Command and Conquer (or perhaps C&C felt like Dune). Anyway it was fun and the in-game movie briefings were great.

Re: digital versions - it is probably bogged down with copyright issues like so many old titles. I assume they would need the approval of the Herbert estate as well as EA.

Dune was my first RTS ever. Played it through many times and loved it.
Offtopic: Any news about the remake of the Dune movie? With the recent CGI technic, it should be fantastic.

I loved the Dune games, but I haven't played the original one, starting with the Westwood stuff (Dune 2). Great stuff. I loved Ammon, the Ordos Mentat from Dune 2, and the IX from later games. And I was a little bit afraid of that Sardaukar with the metal nose …

I'd love to replay all my Dune and C&C games, with the exception of C&C 4 . The story was fine, great to have Joe Kucan back, but what good is C&C without base building?

… this reminds me of sandbagging … sigh … and did I tell you that I bought a Nod t-shirt …?

Originally Posted by Maylander
Isn't it a bit odd that no Dune title has found its way to any digital store? Not even GOG has any. I find that weird.

I find it even weirder that no one has attempted to create a Dune RPG yet.

Think of the possibilities..

Originally Posted by JDR13
I find it even weirder that no one has attempted to create a Dune RPG yet.

Think of the possibilities..

and the many ways to screw up… that said, I'd still like to see at least an attempt to do something with the dune universe. Can't damage my memories of the books I hope

I also have fond memories of dune and dune 2 (on the amiga). But never played the successors (dune 2000 etc.), at that time C&C was the best strategy so dune 2000 and consorts was considered mediocre I belief.

Originally Posted by coaster
I played a Dune RTS back in the day, can't remember which one but it felt very like the original Command and Conquer (or perhaps C&C felt like Dune). Anyway it was fun and the in-game movie briefings were great.

That would be Dune 2, which was basically the predecessor to C&C1. Dune 2 pretty much set the standard back then in terms of RTS gameplay.

Originally Posted by szokol
Dune was my first RTS ever. Played it through many times and loved it.
Offtopic: Any news about the remake of the Dune movie? With the recent CGI technic, it should be fantastic.

None that I know of, unfortunately. Also, the RTS is Dune 2, as mentioned above.

Originally Posted by Jaz
I loved the Dune games, but I haven't played the original one, starting with the Westwood stuff (Dune 2). Great stuff. I loved Ammon, the Ordos Mentat from Dune 2, and the IX from later games. And I was a little bit afraid of that Sardaukar with the metal nose …

I'd love to replay all my Dune and C&C games, with the exception of C&C 4 . The story was fine, great to have Joe Kucan back, but what good is C&C without base building?

… this reminds me of sandbagging … sigh … and did I tell you that I bought a Nod t-shirt …?

I'm in a similar position - I own and have played all C&C and Red Alert games except C&C4. The new formula never appealed to me at all.

Introduction to the brotherhood of Nod in C&C1:
"From God, to Kane, to Seth - I am his right hand."

I loved those videos.

Originally Posted by JDR13
I find it even weirder that no one has attempted to create a Dune RPG yet.

Think of the possibilities..

Could've been amazing indeed. However, it seems the owners of Dune rarely let anyone touch it these days - I haven't seen anything new Dune related stuff in quite a while.

Originally Posted by ilm
I also have fond memories of dune and dune 2 (on the amiga). But never played the successors (dune 2000 etc.), at that time C&C was the best strategy so dune 2000 and consorts was considered mediocre I belief.

Yes, C&C was the big thing, no doubt. Another factor is the fact that Dune 2000 is not a successor, but a remake - it's basically Dune 2 with upgraded graphics, sounds etc. People who had already played Dune 2 knew the story, the missions/maps and so on, making it less exciting than other new games.

Dune: Emperor is something of a successor though, and definitely worth playing.

Dune I, was one the best games i ever played. Exploring the entire planet looking for more caves, managing the harvesters, ornithopters, weapons, fremen, training, etc.

I liked the game so much one of my goals was to put the entire planet green in the end. I managed to make it nearly a green-house planet just for kicks, it wasnt necessary to win it.

Originally Posted by Maylander
Could've been amazing indeed. However, it seems the owners of Dune rarely let anyone touch it these days - I haven't seen anything new Dune related stuff in quite a while.



Yes, C&C was the big thing, no doubt. Another factor is the fact that Dune 2000 is not a successor, but a remake - it's basically Dune 2 with upgraded graphics, sounds etc. People who had already played Dune 2 knew the story, the missions/maps and so on, making it less exciting than other new games.

Dune: Emperor is something of a successor though, and definitely worth playing.

Yes, because Brian Herbert & Kevin J Anderson are setting such a high standard that any other Dune related project might soil its good name (for you with broken sarcasmometers, I'm being very sarcastic here. I loved the original 6 books (although they did also have their good and bad points), I really really don't like most of what Brian & Kevin are doing, some of the writing is downright painful).

Dune 2000 did add the incredibly cheesy cutscenes that C&C is known for, so the game is worth playing just for that. The basic game mechanics has not aged incredibly well though. I feel like this particular type of RTS (the C&C base building style) reached a level of maturity that makes the games actually good, by today's standards (without any nostalgia to get in the way of objectivity), around the release of Dark Reign & Total Annihilation.

Originally Posted by Maylander
Another factor is the fact that Dune 2000 is not a successor, but a remake - it's basically Dune 2 with upgraded graphics, sounds etc.

Sure, but it didn't have Ammon, so it wasn't perfect, anyway .