Dungeons & Dragons: Dragonshard

Dragonshard is an upcoming Dungeons & Dragons title real-time strategy game for the PC, published by Atari, and developed by Liquid Entertainment in colaboration with Wizards of the Coast.

Set in Eberron, a recently created Dungeons & Dragons realm, "Dragonshard will take real-time strategy in new directions by using many of the unique aspects of...traditional role-playing," said Atari executive producer John Hight. "We are also taking advantage of new surface-level terrain-rendering technology to give the player two distinct levels of play; new squad and leader tactical functionality to give the player an all-new army experience; [and] a new base development system." - www.gamespot.com

About the game
Eberron is the new fantasy world created by Keith Baker. It became the official gameworld for Dungeons & Dragons 3rd Edition and now, it's the setting for the upcoming MMORPG, Dungeons & Dragons Online from Turbine Entertainment and Atari Games, in addition to Dragonshard.

(See A Tour of Eberron (PC) for more details.)

Dragonshard's story will concern three factions battling for control of Eberron. The key to their success will be a huge "dragonshard" known as the Heart of Siberys, which is hidden in a remote, windswept corner of Eberron.

The first faction, The Order of the Silver Flame, "is an alliance of humans and dwarves from the land of Khorvaire." Their army will be made up of a variety of specialized units, including knights, wizards, priests, and rogues. Guided by a clairvoyant shaman, the Order's goal is to destroy the dragonshard to prevent if from falling into the wrong hands.

Those hands, at least as far as the Order is concerned, belong to the Umbragen, the game's second faction. Primarily made up of a race of dark elves, the Umbragen's army also includes dark magic users and elite undead units. Led by the evil wizard Satros, their goal is to acquire the dragonshard and use it for their own evil ends.

The third faction "remains veiled and mysterious, its intentions unknown," according to Atari.

Dragonshard will also include two uncontrollable factions: the Illithids, longtime foes of the Umbragen, and a host of golems constructed by an extinct elven race to guard the dragonshard.

Gameplay
The RTS play is affected by the risks and rewards of a Dragonshard's RPG-styled underworld.

As players direct troops over the land, they also plunge smaller, hero-led parties below ground to an RPG-modeled world of beasts, battles, and treasure. Experience and items gained in this underworld result in great powers and abilities above ground.

Using magic, weaponry, and skilled maneuvers, players command armies from varying races to control, protect, or destroy the powerful Heart of Siberys. Obtaining this omnipotent artifact will unleash its full forces, good or evil, upon the entire world.

Features

 * The first Dungeons & Dragons real-time strategy experience
 * The first D&D game from the all-new Eberron campaign setting by Keith Baker
 * Game design with two levels of interconnected action: dramatic RTS war above ground and critical RPG-styled battles in dungeons below
 * Four ranges of controllable units: powerful champions, heroic captains, trainable henchmen, and battlefield juggernauts
 * Unit development based on 'Experience Points', allowing players to "level up" units--an added RPG twist to the classic RTS gameplay structure
 * An innovative village grid system (the "Nexus System") where choice and placement of buildings can specifically affect units’ powers
 * Co-op and head-to-head multiplayer modes
 * Three warring factions (in multiplayer modes), each with its own history, campaigns, unique strengths and weaknesses
 * A variety of threatening environments, all with the "Hyper Terrain" feature, creating real-time terrain deformation in the wake of unit movements