Emperor: Battle for Dune
Encyclopedia
Emperor: Battle for Dune is a Dune video game, released by Westwood Studios
on June 12, 2001. It is based in Frank Herbert
's science fiction
Dune universe
.
It is the third real-time strategy
game set in the Dune universe, following its predecessors, Dune II
and Dune 2000
. While Dune II was a totally distinct story to that of Dune
, and Dune 2000 was a remake of Dune II, Emperor is a direct sequel to the previous games. In particular, it is a sequel to Dune 2000, carrying on from where it left off, with several of the characters and actors returning. Like Dune 2000 and many of the other Westwood games that came before it, Emperor features cut scenes filmed with live actors
.
has been killed by his concubine
, Lady Elara, and the Landsraad
has been thrown into chaos.
The Spacing Guild
has presented the three remaining Houses (the same as those in the previous games: House Atreides
, House Harkonnen
and House Ordos
) with a unique challenge: a war of assassins on the planet Arrakis
. Whichever House wins the war will become the new leader of the Landsraad, and its leader the new Padishah Emperor
, Emperor of the Known Universe.
Eventually, it becomes clear during the campaign that the Tleilaxu
are scouring Arrakis with hidden motives, with various probes spotted collecting flesh samples from dead sandworm
s. After the last battle with any one of the opponent Houses on their home planet, the Spacing Guild
(Guild of Navigators) leaves the victorious House stranded on the enemies' conquered homeworld, attempting to control Arrakis with House Tleilaxu by genetically engineering an Emperor Worm with immense psychic powers empowered by Lady Elara. They also release a mind influencing drug in all the remaining forces water supply on Arrakis to make them slaves under the Guild. It then becomes clear that a last ditch attempt must be made back on Arrakis to destroy the Emperor Worm before he awakes by using the Smugglers Guild to get back to Arrakis. Eventually the player destroys the Emperor Worm, and the Guild's plan is foiled. The victorious house then regains control of Arrakis and the spice melange and proclaims their side's leader Emperor of Dune.
House Atreides' campaign revolves around regaining the trust of the Fremen, with whom they have had an uneasy relationship due to unknown past events. Many of the starting missions revolve around forming an alliance with the Fremen. Later on in the campaign, a party of Fremen diplomats are sent to Caladan, where they and the Duke Achillus are under attack by Tleilaxu soldiers. This attack is eventually thwarted and the Fremen pledge their allegiance to House Atreides. The general benevolence of House Atreides is apparent in their motivation for each map's campaign and they have little to no ulterior motives in lending assistance to any of the factions on Arrakis.
House Harkonnen's campaign revolves around the ailing Baron Rakan and his two sons: Gunseng and Copec (bearing striking resemblance to Feyd-Rautha Harkonnen and Glossu Rabban respectively), who both vie to take the Baron's place upon his death. Copec and Gunseng are at one another's throats, and compete for the Baron's favor as the latter's days grow shorter. Gunseng eventually goes to Arrakis, much to Copec's dismay, to oversee the spice mining. Copec grows impatient, however, and finally deals the killing blow to Rakan by poisoning his food. Copec assumes the title, and goes to Arrakis to have his brother swear allegiance to his new baron. Gunseng however realizes that Copec usurped the title, and openly rebels against Copec. The player character chooses to either side with Gunseng or Copec, and both opposing factions battle on Giedi Prime. Depending on who emerges victorious, the game will then feature Gunseng or Copec as the reigning baron of House Harkonnen.
House Ordos' campaign revolves around their ability to create gholas. The house eventually creates a ghola of the deceased Emperor Shaddam Corrino, who will serve as a puppet emperor subservient to House Ordos. Ordos motives are typically "insidious" in that they attempt to manipulate many of the subhouses (Fremen, Sardaukar, Smugglers) into conflict with any of the major house they are fighting, using gholas and other forms of treachery to thwart any attempts at alliance among their enemies and secure alliances for House Ordos. The Ordos are led by the Executrix, four beings that share a single mind and communicate only through a creature known as the "Speaker". The Ordos are calculated in their thinking, almost machine-like. Advising the "Commander" (player) is the equally cold female Mentat Roma Atani.
Like the two previous games, Emperor pits three houses against each other:
The single-player game features three campaigns, one for each house. Emperor expands upon the "territory domination" style gameplay between missions from its predecessors. In previous games, the territory chosen from the map screen simply determined the shape of the map to be played on. However, in Emperor, the choice of territory can affect mission objectives and alliances. The player is also given "reinforcement" units to move around the world map which can affect the in-game missions. Territorial control also becomes more interesting with the enemy AI also capable of wrestling back the land that the player has just conquered in the previous battle, although it can prove repetitive over time.
In playing each campaign, the player will be pitted primarily against the other two houses. However, depending on choices made, the player may also be allied with, or pitted against, one or more of the five initially-neutral factions:
In addition to the five factions listed above there are a few missions that let the player interact with smugglers. Usually the player will either aid them or anger them. This results in additional funds or reinforcements, or sabotage and smuggler raids respectively. This pseudo faction despite having at least one unique building (smuggler starport) and one unique unit (rocket quad) is not a playable subfaction in multiplayer meaning the player can never construct its building or vehicle. Generally smugglers use a mixture of the three houses light infantry types, possibly to place emphasis on the fact many of them are defectors from the "First Spice War" from Dune 2000, similar to Gurney Halleck and a few of his men in the novels.
The three Houses also feature new units in their ranks.
While having an interface similar to the Command & Conquer series, it added features - such as a 3D engine
, in-battle reinforcements, as well as several other changes and additions to gameplay - to provide a change of pace. Features of note are the fairly non-linear campaign, featuring randomized events, and the fast pace relative to the earlier Dune games. The three Houses also featured more new units in their ranks than in the previous series, with new abilities.
Criticisms of the game are not as numerous as those of its predecessor, Dune 2000
, but it still suffered from AI problems with the computer-controlled player attacking the human player with a similar strategy that can be predicted and thereafter countered effectively. Further, the game's AI includes a lack of combining units of different abilities as the missions cannot be won by building only a particular type of combat unit.
The Fremen Warrior, the basic infantry unit, is equipped with a powerful sniper rifle, and is generally superior to the Atreides sniper. However, the Fremen Fedaykin is equipped with a weirding module, which was a voice-amplifier weapon present in David Lynch's adaptation of Dune, capable of easily slaying infantry and vehicles alike. The Fedaykin are also able to deploy into the sands with a thumper, which will inevitably summon a worm that can be temporarily controlled by the unit.
The Imperial Sardaukar soldier is a heavily-armored warrior armed with a powerful minigun, which is usually capable to killing an enemy infantryman with a single burst. In squads, the soldiers are devastating against large amounts of infantry.
The Imperial Sardaukar Elite are the officers, equipped with a lasgun capable of severely damaging enemy vehicles and aircraft alike. However, when firing upon a shielded unit (like the Ordos Laser Tank, for example), the Sardaukar Elite and the shielded unit will both be killed. This effect exemplifies subatomic fusion and explosions resulting in lasguns interacting with Holtzman fields in the novels. However, the Sardaukar Elites are also equipped with small swords. When in close quarters with enemy infantry, they are formidable enemies.
In the War of Assassins, the Ixians now play a more direct role in combat, interacting with the three Houses as trading partners. An alliance with House Ix can be forged by aiding them in various missions, providing that the player doesn't ally with the Tleilaxu first, as the two are bitter enemies.
Once allied, the Ixians will provide the player with units built from the House of Ix. These include the Infiltrator (a stealthed mobile kamikaze
unit that reveals cloaked enemy units when it detonates), and the Projector Tank (fast hover tank with light mounted cannon, which when deployed, is able to project holographic images of the player's troops that provides realistic damage, yet disintegrates harmlessly on impact).
The Ixians have also been known to be victims of the Bene Tleilax forces on Arrakis, having dead Ixians harvested for use in their Flesh Vats. There is also a mission involving a revolt of the lower class on an Ixian research facility that parallels the revolution mentioned in Dune: House Atreides
(1999).
A Contaminator is essentially a hideously-deformed mutant spawned from the Tleilaxu Flesh Vats. It carries a lethal virus, capable of turning human beings into additional Contaminators. Any infantry killed in close combat with a Contaminator will be reborn as a Contaminator, under the command of the player controlling the original Contaminator.
The Contaminator is only effective against infantry, however; its attack is extremely weak against enemy vehicles and structures.
The other unit of the Bene Tleilax forces offered to the three Great Houses during the War of Assassins, the Tleilaxu Leech, is a biogenetic tank that creates replicas of itself by implanting its larvae in enemy vehicles. It constantly damages the host vehicle until the target is destroyed and the larva hatches as another Leech. The infant larva can be removed by attacking the host vehicle or by using an infantry engineer to remove it surgically (the Atreides can also use their Repair Vehicle). A leech is extremely fast and can regenerate while stationary, making it efficient for hit-and-run tactics.
Like Dune 2000, the game featured all new high-quality full motion video
cut scenes throughout the game. Emperor contains significantly more and longer videos than the previous games. Several actors have returned from Dune 2000, including Adrian Sparks (Emperor Corrino) and Musetta Vander
(Lady Elara).
In addition, several notable actors appeared in the videos, including Star Trek
s Michael Dorn
, who played the role of Duke Achillus of House Atreides; the late Vincent Schiavelli
, as the Harkonnen Mentat
Yanich Kobal; also the late Nicholas Worth
as the Atreides Mentat named Kolinar Koltrass and Mike McShane
, as the Baron Rakan Harkonnen. The theme of the cutscenes, including the costumes, sets and vehicles, were largely based on the David Lynch film
of the original Dune novel.
While the music was all included in the game itself, those who pre-ordered the game received an additional music CD with 13 tracks. The soundtrack was composed by three individuals, with each handling the music for one of the game's factions: Frank Klepacki
(House Atreides
), David Arkenstone
(House Harkonnen
), and Jarrid Mendelson (House Ordos
).
Two additional tracks, the Harkonnen and Ordos themes, were made available for download by Westwood Studios
prior to the game's release.
Westwood Studios
Westwood Studios was a computer and video game developer, based in Las Vegas, Nevada. It was founded by Brett Sperry and Louis Castle in as Westwood Associates, and renamed to Westwood Studios when it merged with Virgin Interactive in...
on June 12, 2001. It is based in Frank Herbert
Frank Herbert
Franklin Patrick Herbert, Jr. was a critically acclaimed and commercially successful American science fiction author. Although a short story author, he is best known for his novels, most notably Dune and its five sequels...
's science fiction
Science fiction
Science fiction is a genre of fiction dealing with imaginary but more or less plausible content such as future settings, futuristic science and technology, space travel, aliens, and paranormal abilities...
Dune universe
Dune universe
Dune is a science fiction franchise which originated with the 1965 novel Dune by Frank Herbert. Considered by many to be the greatest science fiction novel of all time, Dune is frequently cited as the best-selling science fiction novel in history...
.
It is the third real-time strategy
Real-time strategy
Real-time strategy is a sub-genre of strategy video game which does not progress incrementally in turns. Brett Sperry is credited with coining the term to market Dune II....
game set in the Dune universe, following its predecessors, Dune II
Dune II
Dune II: The Building of a Dynasty is a Dune computer game released in 1992 by Westwood Studios...
and Dune 2000
Dune 2000
Dune 2000 is a real-time strategy video game, released by Westwood Studios in 1998 for Microsoft Windows, and later ported to the PlayStation. It is a partial remake of Dune II, which is also based on Frank Herbert's Dune universe. The story of the game is similar to Dune II, and is continued in...
. While Dune II was a totally distinct story to that of Dune
Dune (video game)
Dune is a 1992 video game, based upon Frank Herbert's science fiction novel of the same name. Developed by Cryo Interactive and published by Virgin Interactive, is the first of the Dune computer games. Dune blended adventure with economic and military strategy, and is considered by many the most...
, and Dune 2000 was a remake of Dune II, Emperor is a direct sequel to the previous games. In particular, it is a sequel to Dune 2000, carrying on from where it left off, with several of the characters and actors returning. Like Dune 2000 and many of the other Westwood games that came before it, Emperor features cut scenes filmed with live actors
Live action
In filmmaking, video production, and other media, the term live action refers to cinematography, videography not produced using animation...
.
Story
Emperor is set shortly after Dune 2000. Emperor CorrinoHouse Corrino
Imperial House Corrino is a fictional noble family from the Dune universe created by Frank Herbert. The Corrinos come to power after mankind's victory against the thinking machines at the Battle of Corrin , and rule until deposed by Paul Atreides approximately 10,000 years later during the events...
has been killed by his concubine
Concubinage
Concubinage is the state of a woman or man in an ongoing, usually matrimonially oriented, relationship with somebody to whom they cannot be married, often because of a difference in social status or economic condition.-Concubinage:...
, Lady Elara, and the Landsraad
Landsraad
The Landsraad is a fictional organization in Frank Herbert's Dune universe. It is the assembly of all noble Houses in the Imperium.-Overview:...
has been thrown into chaos.
The Spacing Guild
Spacing Guild
The Spacing Guild is an organization in Frank Herbert's science fiction Dune universe. With its monopoly on interstellar travel and banking, the Guild is a balance of power against the Padishah Emperor and the assembled noble Houses of the Landsraad...
has presented the three remaining Houses (the same as those in the previous games: House Atreides
House Atreides
House Atreides is a fictional noble family from the Dune universe created by Frank Herbert. One of the Great Houses of the feudal interstellar empire known as the Imperium, its members play a role in every novel in the series. It is suggested within the series that the root of the Atreides line...
, House Harkonnen
House Harkonnen
House Harkonnen is a powerful noble family in Frank Herbert's fictional Dune universe. The Harkonnens are featured prominently in the original 1965 novel Dune, and are also a major presence in both the Prelude to Dune and Legends of Dune prequel trilogies by Brian Herbert and Kevin J. Anderson...
and House Ordos
House Ordos
House Ordos is a mercantile House in the Dune universe as presented in the Westwood Studios Dune video games produced from 1992 to 2001. The House is listed in the non-canon Dune Encyclopedia by Willis E...
) with a unique challenge: a war of assassins on the planet Arrakis
Arrakis
Arrakis — informally known as Dune and later called Rakis — is a fictional desert planet featured in the Dune series of novels by Frank Herbert. Herbert's first novel in the series, 1965's Dune, is popularly considered one of the greatest science fiction novels of all time, and it is...
. Whichever House wins the war will become the new leader of the Landsraad, and its leader the new Padishah Emperor
Padishah Emperor
Padishah Emperor is the title given to the hereditary rulers of the Old Empire in the science fiction Dune universe created by Frank Herbert.-Original series:...
, Emperor of the Known Universe.
Eventually, it becomes clear during the campaign that the Tleilaxu
Bene Tleilax
The Bene Tleilax or Tleilaxu are an extremely xenophobic and isolationist society in Frank Herbert's science fiction Dune universe. Genetic manipulators who traffic in biological products such as artificial eyes, gholas, and "twisted" Mentats, the Tleilaxu are a major power in the Imperium...
are scouring Arrakis with hidden motives, with various probes spotted collecting flesh samples from dead sandworm
Sandworm (Dune)
The sandworm is a fictional form of desert-dwelling creature from the Dune universe created by Frank Herbert. They first appear in the 1965 novel Dune, considered to be among the classics in the science fiction genre, and are iconic of the Dune series.In the series, the sandworms called Shai-Hulud...
s. After the last battle with any one of the opponent Houses on their home planet, the Spacing Guild
Spacing Guild
The Spacing Guild is an organization in Frank Herbert's science fiction Dune universe. With its monopoly on interstellar travel and banking, the Guild is a balance of power against the Padishah Emperor and the assembled noble Houses of the Landsraad...
(Guild of Navigators) leaves the victorious House stranded on the enemies' conquered homeworld, attempting to control Arrakis with House Tleilaxu by genetically engineering an Emperor Worm with immense psychic powers empowered by Lady Elara. They also release a mind influencing drug in all the remaining forces water supply on Arrakis to make them slaves under the Guild. It then becomes clear that a last ditch attempt must be made back on Arrakis to destroy the Emperor Worm before he awakes by using the Smugglers Guild to get back to Arrakis. Eventually the player destroys the Emperor Worm, and the Guild's plan is foiled. The victorious house then regains control of Arrakis and the spice melange and proclaims their side's leader Emperor of Dune.
Subplots
While each campaign has the story ultimately culminating up to the battle with the Emperor Worm, the three campaigns have subplots revolving around each faction's intents to conquer Arrakis.House Atreides' campaign revolves around regaining the trust of the Fremen, with whom they have had an uneasy relationship due to unknown past events. Many of the starting missions revolve around forming an alliance with the Fremen. Later on in the campaign, a party of Fremen diplomats are sent to Caladan, where they and the Duke Achillus are under attack by Tleilaxu soldiers. This attack is eventually thwarted and the Fremen pledge their allegiance to House Atreides. The general benevolence of House Atreides is apparent in their motivation for each map's campaign and they have little to no ulterior motives in lending assistance to any of the factions on Arrakis.
House Harkonnen's campaign revolves around the ailing Baron Rakan and his two sons: Gunseng and Copec (bearing striking resemblance to Feyd-Rautha Harkonnen and Glossu Rabban respectively), who both vie to take the Baron's place upon his death. Copec and Gunseng are at one another's throats, and compete for the Baron's favor as the latter's days grow shorter. Gunseng eventually goes to Arrakis, much to Copec's dismay, to oversee the spice mining. Copec grows impatient, however, and finally deals the killing blow to Rakan by poisoning his food. Copec assumes the title, and goes to Arrakis to have his brother swear allegiance to his new baron. Gunseng however realizes that Copec usurped the title, and openly rebels against Copec. The player character chooses to either side with Gunseng or Copec, and both opposing factions battle on Giedi Prime. Depending on who emerges victorious, the game will then feature Gunseng or Copec as the reigning baron of House Harkonnen.
House Ordos' campaign revolves around their ability to create gholas. The house eventually creates a ghola of the deceased Emperor Shaddam Corrino, who will serve as a puppet emperor subservient to House Ordos. Ordos motives are typically "insidious" in that they attempt to manipulate many of the subhouses (Fremen, Sardaukar, Smugglers) into conflict with any of the major house they are fighting, using gholas and other forms of treachery to thwart any attempts at alliance among their enemies and secure alliances for House Ordos. The Ordos are led by the Executrix, four beings that share a single mind and communicate only through a creature known as the "Speaker". The Ordos are calculated in their thinking, almost machine-like. Advising the "Commander" (player) is the equally cold female Mentat Roma Atani.
Overview
- House AtreidesHouse AtreidesHouse Atreides is a fictional noble family from the Dune universe created by Frank Herbert. One of the Great Houses of the feudal interstellar empire known as the Imperium, its members play a role in every novel in the series. It is suggested within the series that the root of the Atreides line...
- House HarkonnenHouse HarkonnenHouse Harkonnen is a powerful noble family in Frank Herbert's fictional Dune universe. The Harkonnens are featured prominently in the original 1965 novel Dune, and are also a major presence in both the Prelude to Dune and Legends of Dune prequel trilogies by Brian Herbert and Kevin J. Anderson...
- House OrdosHouse OrdosHouse Ordos is a mercantile House in the Dune universe as presented in the Westwood Studios Dune video games produced from 1992 to 2001. The House is listed in the non-canon Dune Encyclopedia by Willis E...
The single-player game features three campaigns, one for each house. Emperor expands upon the "territory domination" style gameplay between missions from its predecessors. In previous games, the territory chosen from the map screen simply determined the shape of the map to be played on. However, in Emperor, the choice of territory can affect mission objectives and alliances. The player is also given "reinforcement" units to move around the world map which can affect the in-game missions. Territorial control also becomes more interesting with the enemy AI also capable of wrestling back the land that the player has just conquered in the previous battle, although it can prove repetitive over time.
In playing each campaign, the player will be pitted primarily against the other two houses. However, depending on choices made, the player may also be allied with, or pitted against, one or more of the five initially-neutral factions:
- The IxianIx (Dune)Ix is a fictional planet featured in the Dune series of science fiction novels written by Frank Herbert, and derivative works. In Dune it is noted that Ix is classed with the planet Richese as "supreme in machine culture," and that Ixian solido projectors "are commonly considered the best." In...
s - The Spacing GuildSpacing GuildThe Spacing Guild is an organization in Frank Herbert's science fiction Dune universe. With its monopoly on interstellar travel and banking, the Guild is a balance of power against the Padishah Emperor and the assembled noble Houses of the Landsraad...
- The TleilaxuBene TleilaxThe Bene Tleilax or Tleilaxu are an extremely xenophobic and isolationist society in Frank Herbert's science fiction Dune universe. Genetic manipulators who traffic in biological products such as artificial eyes, gholas, and "twisted" Mentats, the Tleilaxu are a major power in the Imperium...
- The FremenFremenThe Fremen are a group of people in the fictional Dune universe created by Frank Herbert. First appearing in the 1965 novel Dune, the Fremen inhabit the desert planet Arrakis and are based on the desert-dwelling Bedouin and Kalahari Bushmen. In Herbert's novels, Arrakis is the sole known source...
- The SardaukarSardaukarThe Sardaukar are a fictional fanatical army from Frank Herbert's Dune universe, primarily featured in the 1965 science fiction novel Dune, as well as Brian Herbert and Kevin J...
In addition to the five factions listed above there are a few missions that let the player interact with smugglers. Usually the player will either aid them or anger them. This results in additional funds or reinforcements, or sabotage and smuggler raids respectively. This pseudo faction despite having at least one unique building (smuggler starport) and one unique unit (rocket quad) is not a playable subfaction in multiplayer meaning the player can never construct its building or vehicle. Generally smugglers use a mixture of the three houses light infantry types, possibly to place emphasis on the fact many of them are defectors from the "First Spice War" from Dune 2000, similar to Gurney Halleck and a few of his men in the novels.
The three Houses also feature new units in their ranks.
While having an interface similar to the Command & Conquer series, it added features - such as a 3D engine
Game engine
A game engine is a system designed for the creation and development of video games. There are many game engines that are designed to work on video game consoles and personal computers...
, in-battle reinforcements, as well as several other changes and additions to gameplay - to provide a change of pace. Features of note are the fairly non-linear campaign, featuring randomized events, and the fast pace relative to the earlier Dune games. The three Houses also featured more new units in their ranks than in the previous series, with new abilities.
Criticisms of the game are not as numerous as those of its predecessor, Dune 2000
Dune 2000
Dune 2000 is a real-time strategy video game, released by Westwood Studios in 1998 for Microsoft Windows, and later ported to the PlayStation. It is a partial remake of Dune II, which is also based on Frank Herbert's Dune universe. The story of the game is similar to Dune II, and is continued in...
, but it still suffered from AI problems with the computer-controlled player attacking the human player with a similar strategy that can be predicted and thereafter countered effectively. Further, the game's AI includes a lack of combining units of different abilities as the missions cannot be won by building only a particular type of combat unit.
Fremen
The Fremen are the native peoples of Dune, and are usually able to be allies with the Atreides and Ordos (through assistance and deception, respectively), but are typically enemies with the Harkonnens (their mentat dismisses the Fremen as being of little use to them). All Fremen units are stealthed until heavily damaged, and all are able to roam the desert and not attract worms as they traverse the dunes.The Fremen Warrior, the basic infantry unit, is equipped with a powerful sniper rifle, and is generally superior to the Atreides sniper. However, the Fremen Fedaykin is equipped with a weirding module, which was a voice-amplifier weapon present in David Lynch's adaptation of Dune, capable of easily slaying infantry and vehicles alike. The Fedaykin are also able to deploy into the sands with a thumper, which will inevitably summon a worm that can be temporarily controlled by the unit.
Imperial Sardaukar
The infamous and fanatical shock troops of House Corrino, the demise of their Emperor left them without a leader to serve. The Sardaukar travel to Arrakis during the war between the houses to observe the fighting, and hope to ally with the House that proves to be the strongest. The Sardaukar are fearless and nearly suicidal in their own disregard for personal safety, as such, they refuse to duck under fire believing it to be a sign of cowardice. However, their fanaticism is not to be synonymous with foolishness, as all Sardaukar are generally superior to the basic infantry of each house, and are usually twice as durable as the standard soldier.The Imperial Sardaukar soldier is a heavily-armored warrior armed with a powerful minigun, which is usually capable to killing an enemy infantryman with a single burst. In squads, the soldiers are devastating against large amounts of infantry.
The Imperial Sardaukar Elite are the officers, equipped with a lasgun capable of severely damaging enemy vehicles and aircraft alike. However, when firing upon a shielded unit (like the Ordos Laser Tank, for example), the Sardaukar Elite and the shielded unit will both be killed. This effect exemplifies subatomic fusion and explosions resulting in lasguns interacting with Holtzman fields in the novels. However, the Sardaukar Elites are also equipped with small swords. When in close quarters with enemy infantry, they are formidable enemies.
Ixians
Ix is one of the major subfactions. Within the game, Ix is described as a fascist, technocratic House, in which the scientist elite rules. Its people slave in factories to produce Ixian technology which provides the elite with profit.In the War of Assassins, the Ixians now play a more direct role in combat, interacting with the three Houses as trading partners. An alliance with House Ix can be forged by aiding them in various missions, providing that the player doesn't ally with the Tleilaxu first, as the two are bitter enemies.
Once allied, the Ixians will provide the player with units built from the House of Ix. These include the Infiltrator (a stealthed mobile kamikaze
Kamikaze
The were suicide attacks by military aviators from the Empire of Japan against Allied naval vessels in the closing stages of the Pacific campaign of World War II, designed to destroy as many warships as possible....
unit that reveals cloaked enemy units when it detonates), and the Projector Tank (fast hover tank with light mounted cannon, which when deployed, is able to project holographic images of the player's troops that provides realistic damage, yet disintegrates harmlessly on impact).
The Ixians have also been known to be victims of the Bene Tleilax forces on Arrakis, having dead Ixians harvested for use in their Flesh Vats. There is also a mission involving a revolt of the lower class on an Ixian research facility that parallels the revolution mentioned in Dune: House Atreides
Dune: House Atreides
Dune: House Atreides is a 1999 science fiction novel by Brian Herbert and Kevin J. Anderson, set in the fictional Dune universe created by Frank Herbert. It is the first book in the Prelude to Dune prequel trilogy, which takes place before the events of Frank Herbert's celebrated 1965 novel Dune...
(1999).
Guild Of Navigators
The Guild of Navigators plays the role of a subhouse, which allows allied players access to two units: the Maker (a Navigator-like infantry unit with a power weapon), and the NIAB Tank. The NIAB tank is capable of using the foldspace technology to teleport itself. It is generally accepted that NIAB is an abbreviation for "Navigator in a Box." When fought in the single-player campaign, the Guild can also use the plane-like NIAP vehicles; presumably "Navigator in a Plane".Tleilaxu
The Bene Tleilax, known as only the Tleilaxu in the game, is a subfaction. In game, they are treated for practical purposes as a Great House. Within the game's fiction, the Bene Tleilax are portrayed as religious fanatics who believe machines are evil. This portrayal reflects the Bene Tleilax in Heretics of Dune rather than the amoral traders seen in most of the series. Because of their gruesome technology, they're largely disliked. They have two unique units, Contaminators and Leeches, neither of which appear in the original books.Contaminators
The Contaminator is only effective against infantry, however; its attack is extremely weak against enemy vehicles and structures.
Leeches
Cutscenes
Full motion video
Full motion video based games are video games that rely upon pre-recorded TV-quality movie or animation rather than sprites, vectors, or 3D models to display action in the game. In the early 1990s a diverse set of games utilized this format...
cut scenes throughout the game. Emperor contains significantly more and longer videos than the previous games. Several actors have returned from Dune 2000, including Adrian Sparks (Emperor Corrino) and Musetta Vander
Musetta Vander
Musetta Vander is a South African actress and model who is best known for her roles in science fiction and fantasy films.-Early life:...
(Lady Elara).
In addition, several notable actors appeared in the videos, including Star Trek
Star Trek
Star Trek is an American science fiction entertainment franchise created by Gene Roddenberry. The core of Star Trek is its six television series: The Original Series, The Animated Series, The Next Generation, Deep Space Nine, Voyager, and Enterprise...
s Michael Dorn
Michael Dorn
Michael Dorn is an American actor, and voice artist who is best known for his role as the Klingon Worf from the Star Trek franchise.-Early life and career:...
, who played the role of Duke Achillus of House Atreides; the late Vincent Schiavelli
Vincent Schiavelli
Vincent Andrew Schiavelli was an American character actor noted for his work on stage, screen, and television often described as "the man with the sad eyes." He was notable for his numerous and often critically acclaimed cameo appearances.-Early life:Schiavelli was born in Brooklyn, New York, to a...
, as the Harkonnen Mentat
Mentat
A Mentat is a profession or discipline in Frank Herbert's fictional Dune universe. Mentats are humans trained to mimic computers: human minds developed to staggering heights of cognitive and analytical ability.- Overview :...
Yanich Kobal; also the late Nicholas Worth
Nicholas Worth
Nicholas Worth was an American character actor who portrayed General Marzaq and Premier Romanov in Westwood Studios' Command & Conquer series of games, Emperor: Battle for Dune, and also voice-acted as Colonel Bulba/Mr. Jones in Freedom Fighters...
as the Atreides Mentat named Kolinar Koltrass and Mike McShane
Mike McShane
Michael "Mike" McShane is an American actor, singer, and improvisational comedian who first became known through his appearances in the early 1990s on the British version of the television show Whose Line Is It Anyway?-Biography:...
, as the Baron Rakan Harkonnen. The theme of the cutscenes, including the costumes, sets and vehicles, were largely based on the David Lynch film
Dune (film)
Dune is a 1984 science fiction film written and directed by David Lynch, based on the 1965 Frank Herbert novel of the same name. The film stars Kyle MacLachlan as Paul Atreides, and includes an ensemble of well-known American and European actors in supporting roles. It was filmed at the Churubusco...
of the original Dune novel.
Soundtrack
While the music was all included in the game itself, those who pre-ordered the game received an additional music CD with 13 tracks. The soundtrack was composed by three individuals, with each handling the music for one of the game's factions: Frank Klepacki
Frank Klepacki
Frank Klepacki is an American musician, video game music composer and sound director best known for his work on the Command & Conquer series. Having learned to play drums as a child, he joined Westwood Studios as a composer when he was only 17 years old...
(House Atreides
House Atreides
House Atreides is a fictional noble family from the Dune universe created by Frank Herbert. One of the Great Houses of the feudal interstellar empire known as the Imperium, its members play a role in every novel in the series. It is suggested within the series that the root of the Atreides line...
), David Arkenstone
David Arkenstone
David Arkenstone is an American New Age musician. His music is primarily instrumental, with occasional vocalizations. He was born in Chicago, Illinois on July 1, 1952. He has three children—Quillon, Dashiell and Valinor—with his first wife, Julie...
(House Harkonnen
House Harkonnen
House Harkonnen is a powerful noble family in Frank Herbert's fictional Dune universe. The Harkonnens are featured prominently in the original 1965 novel Dune, and are also a major presence in both the Prelude to Dune and Legends of Dune prequel trilogies by Brian Herbert and Kevin J. Anderson...
), and Jarrid Mendelson (House Ordos
House Ordos
House Ordos is a mercantile House in the Dune universe as presented in the Westwood Studios Dune video games produced from 1992 to 2001. The House is listed in the non-canon Dune Encyclopedia by Willis E...
).
Track listing
| Track number | Title | Length | House | Composer |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | The War Begins | 4:38 | House Atreides House Atreides House Atreides is a fictional noble family from the Dune universe created by Frank Herbert. One of the Great Houses of the feudal interstellar empire known as the Imperium, its members play a role in every novel in the series. It is suggested within the series that the root of the Atreides line... |
Frank Klepacki Frank Klepacki Frank Klepacki is an American musician, video game music composer and sound director best known for his work on the Command & Conquer series. Having learned to play drums as a child, he joined Westwood Studios as a composer when he was only 17 years old... |
| 2 | The Machine | 4:50 | House Harkonnen House Harkonnen House Harkonnen is a powerful noble family in Frank Herbert's fictional Dune universe. The Harkonnens are featured prominently in the original 1965 novel Dune, and are also a major presence in both the Prelude to Dune and Legends of Dune prequel trilogies by Brian Herbert and Kevin J. Anderson... |
David Arkenstone David Arkenstone David Arkenstone is an American New Age musician. His music is primarily instrumental, with occasional vocalizations. He was born in Chicago, Illinois on July 1, 1952. He has three children—Quillon, Dashiell and Valinor—with his first wife, Julie... |
| 3 | Not an Option | 3:52 | House Ordos House Ordos House Ordos is a mercantile House in the Dune universe as presented in the Westwood Studios Dune video games produced from 1992 to 2001. The House is listed in the non-canon Dune Encyclopedia by Willis E... |
Jarrid Mendelson |
| 4 | Unstoppable | 5:50 | House Harkonnen House Harkonnen House Harkonnen is a powerful noble family in Frank Herbert's fictional Dune universe. The Harkonnens are featured prominently in the original 1965 novel Dune, and are also a major presence in both the Prelude to Dune and Legends of Dune prequel trilogies by Brian Herbert and Kevin J. Anderson... |
David Arkenstone David Arkenstone David Arkenstone is an American New Age musician. His music is primarily instrumental, with occasional vocalizations. He was born in Chicago, Illinois on July 1, 1952. He has three children—Quillon, Dashiell and Valinor—with his first wife, Julie... |
| 5 | Ride the Worm | 5:35 | House Atreides House Atreides House Atreides is a fictional noble family from the Dune universe created by Frank Herbert. One of the Great Houses of the feudal interstellar empire known as the Imperium, its members play a role in every novel in the series. It is suggested within the series that the root of the Atreides line... |
Frank Klepacki Frank Klepacki Frank Klepacki is an American musician, video game music composer and sound director best known for his work on the Command & Conquer series. Having learned to play drums as a child, he joined Westwood Studios as a composer when he was only 17 years old... |
| 6 | Sabotage | 4:19 | House Ordos House Ordos House Ordos is a mercantile House in the Dune universe as presented in the Westwood Studios Dune video games produced from 1992 to 2001. The House is listed in the non-canon Dune Encyclopedia by Willis E... |
Jarrid Mendelson |
| 7 | Harkonnen Force | 5:29 | House Harkonnen House Harkonnen House Harkonnen is a powerful noble family in Frank Herbert's fictional Dune universe. The Harkonnens are featured prominently in the original 1965 novel Dune, and are also a major presence in both the Prelude to Dune and Legends of Dune prequel trilogies by Brian Herbert and Kevin J. Anderson... |
David Arkenstone David Arkenstone David Arkenstone is an American New Age musician. His music is primarily instrumental, with occasional vocalizations. He was born in Chicago, Illinois on July 1, 1952. He has three children—Quillon, Dashiell and Valinor—with his first wife, Julie... |
| 8 | Assembling the Troops | 7:42 | House Atreides House Atreides House Atreides is a fictional noble family from the Dune universe created by Frank Herbert. One of the Great Houses of the feudal interstellar empire known as the Imperium, its members play a role in every novel in the series. It is suggested within the series that the root of the Atreides line... |
Frank Klepacki Frank Klepacki Frank Klepacki is an American musician, video game music composer and sound director best known for his work on the Command & Conquer series. Having learned to play drums as a child, he joined Westwood Studios as a composer when he was only 17 years old... |
| 9 | Ghola | 3:48 | House Ordos House Ordos House Ordos is a mercantile House in the Dune universe as presented in the Westwood Studios Dune video games produced from 1992 to 2001. The House is listed in the non-canon Dune Encyclopedia by Willis E... |
Jarrid Mendelson |
| 10 | Legacy | 6:14 | House Harkonnen House Harkonnen House Harkonnen is a powerful noble family in Frank Herbert's fictional Dune universe. The Harkonnens are featured prominently in the original 1965 novel Dune, and are also a major presence in both the Prelude to Dune and Legends of Dune prequel trilogies by Brian Herbert and Kevin J. Anderson... |
David Arkenstone David Arkenstone David Arkenstone is an American New Age musician. His music is primarily instrumental, with occasional vocalizations. He was born in Chicago, Illinois on July 1, 1952. He has three children—Quillon, Dashiell and Valinor—with his first wife, Julie... |
| 11 | The Specimen | 5:06 | House Ordos House Ordos House Ordos is a mercantile House in the Dune universe as presented in the Westwood Studios Dune video games produced from 1992 to 2001. The House is listed in the non-canon Dune Encyclopedia by Willis E... |
Jarrid Mendelson |
| 12 | The Spice Must Flow | 4:47 | House Atreides House Atreides House Atreides is a fictional noble family from the Dune universe created by Frank Herbert. One of the Great Houses of the feudal interstellar empire known as the Imperium, its members play a role in every novel in the series. It is suggested within the series that the root of the Atreides line... |
Frank Klepacki Frank Klepacki Frank Klepacki is an American musician, video game music composer and sound director best known for his work on the Command & Conquer series. Having learned to play drums as a child, he joined Westwood Studios as a composer when he was only 17 years old... |
| 13 | Tribute to Evil | 6:21 | House Harkonnen House Harkonnen House Harkonnen is a powerful noble family in Frank Herbert's fictional Dune universe. The Harkonnens are featured prominently in the original 1965 novel Dune, and are also a major presence in both the Prelude to Dune and Legends of Dune prequel trilogies by Brian Herbert and Kevin J. Anderson... |
David Arkenstone David Arkenstone David Arkenstone is an American New Age musician. His music is primarily instrumental, with occasional vocalizations. He was born in Chicago, Illinois on July 1, 1952. He has three children—Quillon, Dashiell and Valinor—with his first wife, Julie... |
Two additional tracks, the Harkonnen and Ordos themes, were made available for download by Westwood Studios
Westwood Studios
Westwood Studios was a computer and video game developer, based in Las Vegas, Nevada. It was founded by Brett Sperry and Louis Castle in as Westwood Associates, and renamed to Westwood Studios when it merged with Virgin Interactive in...
prior to the game's release.
External links
- Emperor: Battle for Dune at Dune2K.com