Homeworld: Cataclysm
Encyclopedia
Homeworld: Cataclysm was originally developed in 2000 as an expansion of Homeworld
, but was released as a stand-alone game. It was published by Sierra Entertainment
, as was the original, but it was developed by Barking Dog Studios.
Notable unit changes include the Processor, Cataclysms adaption of the Resource Controller, which has medium-strength weapons to defend itself; automated repair beams to heal nearby ships and four pads to dock with Workers harvesting resources. The game's resource collectors perform the same functions that they did in the original Homeworld, however, when upgraded they can be used to capture enemy vessels, harvest crystals and repair friendly vessels; functions that were carried out by separate, single-function ships in the first game.
The game also introduced new 3D features such as moving parts and transforming ships.
In general, the main difference is the scale of fleets. Where Homeworld was biased towards large fleets (as the player's main ship was a full-fledged mothership and the opposition was an empire of galactic scale), Cataclysm down-scales the fleets (as the player's main ship is a simple mining vessel and the adversaries are all limited in resources)
Further research suggests that the derelict pod carried nanobots, known as the Beast, that can take control of machinery and even people. As other ships begin to become assimilated by the Beast, the Kuun-Lan discovers that while the origins of the Beast are unknown, it was first discovered by an alien vessel called the Naggarok. Before the Naggarok was fully assimilated, the drives of the ship were destroyed by the crew, but the ship released a distress beacon, which the Kuun-Lan discovered.
After several battles with infected vessels and planetary bases, the Kuun-Lan discovers a siege cannon, which has the potential to be an effective weapon against the Beast. It soon proves ineffective against Beast-controlled vessels as-is, so the Kuun-Lan began searching for the Bentusi to ask for help in upgrading the cannon. When the Kuun-Lan found them, the Bentusi were already in the process of escaping to a different part of the galaxy. Driven with the fear of being assimilated by the Beast, the Bentusi were unwilling to stay and help the Kuun-Lan. So the crew of the Kuun-Lan were forced to destroy their hyperspace gate hoping to reason with them. A battle between the Kuun-Lan and the remaining Bentusi ensued. When Bentusi finally realized that refusing to help was a mistake, they offered to upgrade the Kuun-Lan's cannon.
The Kuun-Lan went to look for the infected Clee-San research vessel so they can test their cannon. They soon find it and the abandoned half of the Kuun-Lan, which the Beast has been using as a mothership, and fired their cannon at them. The cannon was able to neutralize the Beast infection without destroying the ships. Upon entering the ships, they learn of a battle station being developed by the Republican Taiidani called Nomad Moon.
They then seek out Nomad Moon, and find it under the control of the Beast. The Naggarok is there with Nomad Moon, and offers the Kuun-Lan an alliance. After the Kuun-Lan refuses, they begin a battle that involved the Somtaaw, the Kushan, the Taiidan, and the Beast. At one point, after the destruction of the Nomad Moon, the Taiidan turned against the Beast and ordered a fleet withdrawal, claiming that the Beast lied to them about the deal they made in which they get a share of the conquered galaxy. The battle ends with the destruction of the Naggarok.
In time, the remainder of the Beast-infected ships are destroyed and a vaccine to the infection is discovered.
", several ships make a return, notably in the 'new' Hiigarans/Kushan, and the Taiidan forces (both Imperialist and Republic). Some new features in this game not previously seen are ship upgrades and Support Units- the latter of which put a lower cap on the player's fleet size as opposed to the maximum fleet size of 300 in "Homeworld".
While the Kushan and Taiidan fleets remain almost identical to their Homeworld counterparts, the player's clan, Kiith Somtaaw, is forced to scratch its own fleet specs based on salvaged technologies. The player's own ships are all new and basically vastly superior to both Taiidan and Kushan counterparts and are only matched by the main adversary, the Beast and its own fleet (which is composed of upgraded Taiidan, Kushan, Somtaaw and Turanic Raider ships).
Homeworld
Homeworld is a real-time strategy computer game released on September 28, 1999, developed by Relic Entertainment and published by Sierra Entertainment. It was the first fully three-dimensional RTS. In 2003, Relic released the source code for Homeworld...
, but was released as a stand-alone game. It was published by Sierra Entertainment
Sierra Entertainment
Sierra Entertainment Inc. was an American video-game developer and publisher founded in 1979 as On-Line Systems by Ken and Roberta Williams...
, as was the original, but it was developed by Barking Dog Studios.
Gameplay
Though it uses the same engine as its predecessor, several changes were made such as: the ability to toggle time compression between normal speed and eight times faster; ship upgrades (improving armor and adding new abilities), Command Ships and Carriers are given the ability to add external modules for ship research and fleet support; fuel was completely eliminated from the game and finally the sensor display could be used to issue attack orders to units. The player's Command Ship is now capable of attack; though slow, the Command Ship is capable of delivering a vast array of weaponry, most notably the Siege Cannon capable of crippling an enemy Command Ship with a single well aimed shot.Notable unit changes include the Processor, Cataclysms adaption of the Resource Controller, which has medium-strength weapons to defend itself; automated repair beams to heal nearby ships and four pads to dock with Workers harvesting resources. The game's resource collectors perform the same functions that they did in the original Homeworld, however, when upgraded they can be used to capture enemy vessels, harvest crystals and repair friendly vessels; functions that were carried out by separate, single-function ships in the first game.
The game also introduced new 3D features such as moving parts and transforming ships.
In general, the main difference is the scale of fleets. Where Homeworld was biased towards large fleets (as the player's main ship was a full-fledged mothership and the opposition was an empire of galactic scale), Cataclysm down-scales the fleets (as the player's main ship is a simple mining vessel and the adversaries are all limited in resources)
Plot
The game begins with the Kuun-Lan, a mining vessel from the planet Hiigara, performing mining operations in deep space. They are called back to Hiigara to assist the Kushan against a Taiidan invasion in the first mission before answering a distress signal of a Kushan destroyer. They soon find a derelict beacon pod, which the crew decides to capture and research with the aid of the research vessel Clee-San. As study it aboard the Kuun-Lan, a strange virus begins to take over the ship. The part of the ship containing the derelict is jettisoned; the Clee-San then scans the jettisoned part of the ship to determine what happened. As it scans, the jettisoned portion of the ship fires a beam at the Clee-San that subverts control of the ship. A Turanic fleet arrives to capture the jettisoned part, only to be subverted by the beam used to subvert the Clee-San. Shortly thereafter, the Kuun-Lan escapes.Further research suggests that the derelict pod carried nanobots, known as the Beast, that can take control of machinery and even people. As other ships begin to become assimilated by the Beast, the Kuun-Lan discovers that while the origins of the Beast are unknown, it was first discovered by an alien vessel called the Naggarok. Before the Naggarok was fully assimilated, the drives of the ship were destroyed by the crew, but the ship released a distress beacon, which the Kuun-Lan discovered.
After several battles with infected vessels and planetary bases, the Kuun-Lan discovers a siege cannon, which has the potential to be an effective weapon against the Beast. It soon proves ineffective against Beast-controlled vessels as-is, so the Kuun-Lan began searching for the Bentusi to ask for help in upgrading the cannon. When the Kuun-Lan found them, the Bentusi were already in the process of escaping to a different part of the galaxy. Driven with the fear of being assimilated by the Beast, the Bentusi were unwilling to stay and help the Kuun-Lan. So the crew of the Kuun-Lan were forced to destroy their hyperspace gate hoping to reason with them. A battle between the Kuun-Lan and the remaining Bentusi ensued. When Bentusi finally realized that refusing to help was a mistake, they offered to upgrade the Kuun-Lan's cannon.
The Kuun-Lan went to look for the infected Clee-San research vessel so they can test their cannon. They soon find it and the abandoned half of the Kuun-Lan, which the Beast has been using as a mothership, and fired their cannon at them. The cannon was able to neutralize the Beast infection without destroying the ships. Upon entering the ships, they learn of a battle station being developed by the Republican Taiidani called Nomad Moon.
They then seek out Nomad Moon, and find it under the control of the Beast. The Naggarok is there with Nomad Moon, and offers the Kuun-Lan an alliance. After the Kuun-Lan refuses, they begin a battle that involved the Somtaaw, the Kushan, the Taiidan, and the Beast. At one point, after the destruction of the Nomad Moon, the Taiidan turned against the Beast and ordered a fleet withdrawal, claiming that the Beast lied to them about the deal they made in which they get a share of the conquered galaxy. The battle ends with the destruction of the Naggarok.
In time, the remainder of the Beast-infected ships are destroyed and a vaccine to the infection is discovered.
Ships
Since "Homeworld: Cataclysm" takes place only 15 years after, and uses essentially the same game engine as "HomeworldHomeworld
Homeworld is a real-time strategy computer game released on September 28, 1999, developed by Relic Entertainment and published by Sierra Entertainment. It was the first fully three-dimensional RTS. In 2003, Relic released the source code for Homeworld...
", several ships make a return, notably in the 'new' Hiigarans/Kushan, and the Taiidan forces (both Imperialist and Republic). Some new features in this game not previously seen are ship upgrades and Support Units- the latter of which put a lower cap on the player's fleet size as opposed to the maximum fleet size of 300 in "Homeworld".
While the Kushan and Taiidan fleets remain almost identical to their Homeworld counterparts, the player's clan, Kiith Somtaaw, is forced to scratch its own fleet specs based on salvaged technologies. The player's own ships are all new and basically vastly superior to both Taiidan and Kushan counterparts and are only matched by the main adversary, the Beast and its own fleet (which is composed of upgraded Taiidan, Kushan, Somtaaw and Turanic Raider ships).
Compatibility
Homeworld: Cataclysm works on both 32-bit and 64-bit versions of Windows XP, Vista, and 7 after being patched to version 1.01. However, as with its predecessor, graphical glitches frequently occur when not using the software renderer.External links
- Official homepage
- Encyclopedia Hiigara - A Homeworld wiki
- Homeworld Private Forums