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Planetary Conquest features major improvements

By Peter Cohen
Macworld APR 1, 2001 5:00 pm PDT

If you’re a turn-based strategy game fan and you’re looking for something a bit different, you might want to take a look at German game developer Avis Nocturna’s effort, Planetary Conquest. The game adds some unique play elements by incorporating a 3D, OpenGL-based graphics engine, instead of the more traditional 2D sprite-based engine many turn-based strategy games employ.

Planetary Conquest

Planetary Conquest describes the gameplay very succinctly — it’s up to you, using the resources and units at your disposal, to take over planetary terrain. You must harvest resources and build units that will enable you to complete your objective, either against the computer or against up to three other players working over a network connection.

Described by Avis Nocturna as a “large upgrade,” version 1.7 of Planetary Conquest features the following changes:

  • complete new object format including all-new textures and complex animation
  • better texture engine
  • all new constructed objects (new units, new buildings and new obstacles…)
  • new textures for terrains added
  • easier player identification
  • new terrain lighting engine
  • new moving sky and stars
  • better water textures with animations and smoother borders
  • day and night affects unit movement
  • better resource distribution on the map
  • better network handling
  • new artificial intelligence scripts
  • better dialog positions
  • minor changes in the interface (button flashing, new start screen…)
  • German translation available (not completed, object names and tutorial missing)
  • restyled setup dialog
  • memory requirements reduced
  • better usage of Mac OS events
  • preparations for OS X (a version for Mac OS X 1.0 final will be released soon)

    • A demo of the game is available for download at the link below. Please visit the More Info link if you’re already a Planetary Conquest owner and you’d like to download the latest updater. System requirements include a PowerPC 604e or better-equipped Mac and an OpenGL-capable video card.

    The full game is available for purchase on CD-ROM for US$20, plus shipping.

    More info || Download Planetary Conquest 1.7 demo [3.9MB]