Future mini-expansion with campaigns

I think, it would be a great idea

Not likely, designing and programmin campaign is probably going to bust budget

Well, this question comes up now and then. I would have loved to see a campaign.

Once, the devs commented on it saying sth like, they are currently not able to implement a campaign which is to their liking/ or their ideas. That means: No campaign in the next future. However, the final decision is not made yet. Guesses are, that there might be sth in the third microexpansion if at all.

One of the main criticism by some players is that they don't need a campaign functioning as a better tutorial and the best stories are done in multiplayer anyway...

Nothing to be done about that now, I guess. Still waiting and hoping, though!

If a campaign didn't eventuate, it'll be a real shame - it would have been nice to had the Lore specified in more evocative, less painfully generic terms. I mean, one can reverse engineer a lot of it, but it felt like it hurt matters a bit to have had it quite so vague. A good story can do wonders.

That's just it.  It has to be a good story.  So often, video games forgo all the time and effort it takes to write a good story, and invest that into better graphics, or a slicker interface, or something.  Then the game comes out and we say, "game play was nice, but they should have worked a bit more on the story."  I think this is especially true in RTS and 4X games.

I know the devs have stated they didn't want to make a campaign that works just like any other in this genre, more or less an extended tutorial for the first half of the game with some technologies not available until much later.  Personally, I agree with this.  I think the devs did a superb job of creating a game that has enough depth, challenge, and variety to stand on its own without a campaign.

I like the approach here.  Build a great game with a dedicated fan base and active forum users.  If the devs want to create a campaign, they can truly tailor it to what we as fans wanted to see, rather than going 'cold turkey' with game play and campaign.  I think it has much better potential for a campaign that would satisfy a larger portion of fans than a 'traditional' approach.

All this being said, I really, really, really, really........ really want to see a campaign for Sins.

I think the campaign is only half the story. sure, I like good story, it gives games meaning and setting and you get more immersed. seriously, homeworld would not be the same game without its brilliant story line. and I dare say not even starcraft, fs or a bunch of other games.

however, the other part is: if there will be a campaign, then maybe the devs will also release some kind of editor or tools. and that would rock, bc I am pretty sure quite a few people would create some stuff of their own. there already is enough fan fiction as it is, having the possibility of packing stories and such into the game would spur it even further. and I dare say that part of the blizzard strat. games' success was also that the editors allowed so much fan material to be made that even sp only people would find a lot of good stuff on the net from them.

so, campaign, but also campaign tools. maybe that second one is even more important.

I'd rather they focussed on expanding the multiplayer experience, which is what they are doing so far

 

However Like you OP I think the story is great, i'm not sure if I want it explained too much though, as it might lose its mystery.

Also I'm not sure how a linear campaign of sins could ever be interesting to play?

I'd love to see the addition of a campaign but I also agree it should implemented without the non-sense of a tutorial that takes you half way through.  However, the devs know this and I believe could instead create a much more desirable campaign/editor than most games deliver.  The editor does not have to be overly complicated.  If it only allowed players to link maps together under a campaign folder, AND require differring victory conditions to progress to the next map in the campaign it would be awesom.  A simple text box with maybe room for a couple picturess could tell the story and explain each maps objectives.

The game needs alternative victory conditions.  i.e Hold planet "x" for 30 minutes.......or Obtain 40,000 crystal.....or controll 51 % of the planets on the map......

Instead, the only two ways to win atm are.....culture spread and Kill everything which are both fun but there is alot of room to add to the fun via the campaign editor and alternative victory conditions.

Further, differing victory conditions would also go along way towards another concern some of us Sins fans have, in particular, the time it takes to play a short game.  Implementing alternative victory conditions could solve some if not all of the issue of haveing no fast way to play a game.......king of the hill....Mass and kill quick start.....first player to wipe out another player wins....on and on and on.  The ideas are limitless.

Valkajin

I think if they kept frills down a SP campaign would be quite doable. Implement a scenario mode that can be used for skirmish or MP, then set up SP as a group of linked scenarios perhaps with some branching. Do animatics for between-missions storytelling, hire one or two voice actors, and there you go. 

if it was taken even a little further, you could do a scripted triggers system and maybe some HW-style talking-unit icons with voiceovers.

I agree whole heartedly. Starcraft, Diablo, Homeworld, Knights of the Old Republic among other games that have reached cult status and massive popularity would have of been simple distractions if the story wasn't integral to the game and of such high quality. Blizzard and Bioware for example are succesful and well known for high quality games largely in part to compelling and excellent storytelling.

I dont think I could ever believe that creating a campaign or compelling story somehow takes away or makes good gameplay less likely. The above games are proof of that. Yes it takes time but so does everything else in the universe. Quick solutions are never excusable for lack of quality or rushed deployment. Many game developers have made that mistake and most certainly regret it. Although hearing that the developers arent focuisng or working on a campaign currently because they arent sure or cant yet make it how they want it to be is certainly better to hear then that they will be rushing a campaign out in a week.

Sins already has excellent gameplay and obviously could be made better but in my opinion the next step should be a campaign or story or even simply a good narrative while you play regular games. Narrative is the lifeblood of almost all games and stories. The games that are remembered years after they are released arent just games with good gameplay they are stories in which the player takes part.

I disagree with you that they're focussing on online multiplayer, at least from what I've seen.  As it stands now, the online multiplayer game has lots of room for improvement in terms of its features.

 

They have received a large number of requests for a campaign, so it would definitely be a good idea for them to implement something like that.  In the meantime, if you're getting bored, have you considered trying some of the mods for the game or some of the (updated to work with v1.16) custom maps?

There is one other thing you might consider--online multiplayer--which will make you forget about the lack of a campaign very quickly.  You'll get a greater challenge, a chance to have human allies in team games where you can coordinate teamwork, camraderie with your teammates, much more interesting, intense, and suspenseful games (you could actually lose the game or be forced to migrate across the map, which can be thrilling), and the chance to make online friends.  So consider clicking that <Ironclad Online> button and come check it out.

whilst i agree that a campaign would be really really really cool, i cannot see how it could actually be implemented.

i mean, most small games take two or three hours to play depending on map and other players. a campaign of linked maps would take forever. that may be a good thing for some, but still.

Perhaps instead of a cmapaign they should create a number of scenarios. For example, the first Advent arrival, or the TEC's last stand in an overrun sector. games and maps where the sometimes tedious practice of slow expansion is already done but you have an immediate enemy

perhaps also "hero" units, basically capital ships but even more powerful, but you can have only one and not rebuild it?

 

perhaps even a "conquer the galaxy" style campaign like in Star Wars: Empire At War. one where you move "fleets" from star system to star system and each time you arrive you play a small or medium map. you could have "grand strategy" advantages like the bonus cards from the campaigns in Rise of Nations. things you acquire on the uber galaxy map and use in individual games, like "+20% trade income for this game" or similar. like the artifact system but one use only.

 

 

Oh I meant I dont want them to add content which can only be used in 1 player.