Demigod

Most people think of Stardock mainly as a game developer of titles like Galactic Civilizations II and the upcoming Elemental but the truth is that the company has its hands full in several areas including third party publishing of games, developing non-gaming Windows applications like Object Desktop and the Impulse PC game download service. Today Stardock issued its 2009 customer report which gives an overview of what the company has done in the past 12 months.

The report is brutally honest with the fact that the launch of Stardock's big 2009 game, Demigod (developed by Gas Powered Games) did not go as well as anticipated due to multiplayer networking issues. The report does say that despite the launch issues, Demigod "continues to sell thousands of copies weekly."

The report goes over a number of the company's other issues such as future updates to their Impulse service (which include adding pre-loading of games), how weekend sales reductions have reduced the overall cost of PC games to consumers and lots more.

We've been hearing for quite a long time that there have been plans to add two new free demigod characters into the RTS game Demigod. Now it looks like that those plans are finally bearing fruit. A post on the Impulsedriven.net site by Stardock CEO Brad Wardell states the new demigod will be made available via an update that should be released "in the next couple of weeks."

Players will be able to add the two new demigods to their account and use them in regular games. Wardell says this will allow them to test the new additions out for balance issues. After that, he says that "we'll expand out access to it until everyone who has Demigod can access it." Stardock previously released info on both of the new demigods this summer.

One of the biggest PC game developers currently in operation is Gas Powered Games. It's founder, Chris Taylor, first gained fame for another developer with the RTS title Total Annihilation. For Gas Powered he has lead the development of the action-RPG Dungeon Siege series and the RTS game Supreme Commander. This year they released their latest game Demigod with Supreme Commander 2 waiting in the wings for 2010.

Industry Gamers got a chance to quiz Taylor on the games that have influenced him the most in his career. He goes in chronological order with titles like Space Invaders and Robotron first on the list, then proceeds to early PC games like SimCity and Populus. He says playing the early RTS games from Westwood Studios (Dune 2 and Command and Conquer) "changed the course of my life. Not only did I now know I loved and wanted to make video games, I wanted to very specifically make games like this..." It was those games that caused Taylor to create Total Annihilation.

More recent favorites include the Diablo series, Battlefield 1942 (" I played EVERY night for over a year") and the arcade racing game FlatOut ("I seemed to plug right into that game and it will always be a favorite.')

Gas Powered Games and Stardock continue to update their recent RTS title Demigod and later today Impulse is scheduled to make available a 1.19 patch for the title. It's supposed to be a pretty extensive update with lots of bug fixes and changes along with the removal of the multiplayer Skirmish mode (it will still be available for single player). Another patch is due out next week.

In addition, Stardock CEO Brad Wardell has posted up a Q&A based on forum questions about the future of Demigod. Quick summary; they will be making even more patch updates in the future to add new features such as the mod SDK for the game as well as possibly making new official maps (although Wardell does state, " . . . making maps is not easy. Unless you have a very good understanding of 3D Studio you will want to leave it to others.). As previously reported two new Demigods are being worked on for a free update but Wardell states, "My understanding that the artwork is taking longer than anticipated."

Update: The patch is now available to download via Impulse

Download the Demigod Demo at Big Download (599 MB)

The NVIDIA line of graphics processors are among the most popular (if not the most popular) brand of high-end gaming hardware available today. However, some would argue that these days, graphics cards are offering fewer significant returns with each successive generation. With this in mind, it becomes important for the company to start shifting focus from strictly speed and high resolution frame rates (which are still a very important aspects of PC gaming) to the addressing the gameplay experience itself. One step in this direction was through adopting PhysX technology into its repertoire and having the software run using GPU instead of through a separate card. With PhysX, PC games offer deeper immersion using effects that operate in a realistic non-scripted fashion, like with smoke, cloth and liquids moving in real-time.

NVIDIA's 3D Vision technology takes the game experience even further by bringing games into the third dimension by stereoscoping games in real-time and using special shutter glasses. Unfortunately, not a lot of gamers have $600 to spend on 3D graphics. The glasses alone cost over $100 and the required 3D ready monitors that have a 120Hz refresh rates are very expensive and hard to find, leaving 3D out of the hands of the average consumer. However, NVIDIA has found a way around the prohibitive costs and an easy way to deliver a 3D experience. Not counting the cost of the video card itself, gamers can use NVIDIA 3D Vision Discover for almost nothing... or in some cases, exactly nothing. That's right, by taking the PhysX approach and incorporating 3D technology into the software drivers, PC gamers can literally give their games more depth.

Download the Resident Evil 5 Benchmark

Developer Gas Powered Games and publisher Stardock have said for some time they plan to release at least two free additional demigods to their multiplayer RTS game Demigod. Now the Impulse web site has posted up info and some concept artwork for the one of the new demigods, Oculus. He's described as "a general that has some ranged weaponry" and that "existing minions you acquire actually provide specific benefit to him."

The article goes into more detail on Oculus including his powers and abilities. This follows the reveal (unnoticed by us until today) of another demigod The Demon Assassin. Unfortunately plans to show off both of the upcoming free demigods at PAX next weekend have fallen off the radar. However we should get more info on the new additions in the weeks ahead.

This has been a long while overdue, but the playable demo for Demigod is now available for download. The demo includes all game modes, online multiplayer, and four demigods to select from to play on the 'Cataract' map. The full version of the real-time strategy / role-playing game hybrid can be purchased in retail stores or through digital download via Impulse.

Download Demigod Demo (599 MB)
Check out all Demigod downloads

We know, we know; we wish we could go to BlizzCon, too. But all the tickets were sold out weeks ago. What to do? Well there's still time to enter and win one of at least three contests where you can win a full scale trip to the show on August 21-22.. However if you live in or near the Anaheim, California area you can also win tickets.

Kingston Technology, best known for their PC memory products is giving away 10 tickets to Blizzard's sort-of annual fan fest. There doesn't appear to be a trip associated with the contest so if you win tickets you presumably have to make your flight and/or hotel reservations on your own time. Or you could sell them on eBay give them to a friend; your call.

Since its troubled released in mid-April, Demigod has gotten support from its publisher Stardock by offering 50 percent coupons to buy the full game to its current owners. However many people have wondered if the multiplayer RTS game will ever get its long promised demo.

This week, Stardock CEO Brad Wardell posted up a new Demigod dev update on the game's official web site, admitting, "The demo is, by far, the biggest thing being worked on. We all agree it should have gone out sooner but life is what it is and we don't always get what we want." He's hopeful that developer Gas Powered Games can get that demo out next week but adds, " . . . no promises as every time I try to predict something it ends up blowing up." After the demo comes out, plans are in place to release at least two free demigods to add to the game's current lineup but beyond that the update plans are "murky", according to Wardell.

We are a little over halfway through the end of 2009 and so far things in the PC game industry have pretty much been what we have expected. We've had some games that were as good as we expected and other that didn't quite meet our high hopes. We've also had a couple of surprises that have kept us on our toes.

Today, We have decided to look back and give our picks for the best PC games released so far this year (in the order of which they have been released). We have also picked a couple of high profile titles that were also released but did not end up to as good as we had hoped.

However the first half of the year is usually not when the big PC game releases show up. We still have a lot to look forward to in the back half of 2009 with games like Modern Warfare 2, BioShock 2, Left 4 Dead 2, Borderlands, Champions Online, Aion, Dragon Age: Origins and (if Blizzard sticks to its announced schedule) StarCraft 2. In other words we likely haven't seen the best games of the year just yet.

Download Dawn of War 2 Single Player Demo
Download Zeno Clash Demo
Download Plants vs Zombies Demo
Download Tales of Monkey Island Demo
Download F.E.A.R. 2: Project Origin Demo


Click on the image above to read more of our picks for the top PC games of 2009 (so far)

After dealing with big multiplayer online networking issues for the first month, the team at developer Gas Powered Games is set to release its first gameplay patch for their recent RTS title Demigod. The patch is set to be made available to download later today via Stardock's Impulse client. The patch will include new features such as improved computer AI, a random Demigod feature and more.

In a message board post, Stardock CEO Brad Wardell stated that they are already looking ahead to patch 1.2 which will include native modding support, clan support and robust replay support. He also has a wish list of what he would like to add to the game in the future (more demigods, more maps, new favor items, etc) but ultimately it will be up to strong continued sales of Demigod for those plans to come to fruition.

It's been a little while since we have reported on Demigod but this week the game's official web site has gotten an update from Stardock CEO Brad Wardell. In short the multiplayer networking issues that hit the Gas Powered Games-created RTS game hard when it was released two months ago have now apparently been resolved via Stardock creating an all new system for the title.

With that work out of the way, Demigod will soon get a 1.1 patch that won't have anything to do with fixing networking issues. Planned for the update includes improved computer AI, a random Demigod feature and more. A planned demo for the game is still in the works and will incorporate the fixes and updates in the 1.1 patch.

This short gameplay trailer for Demigod introduces viewers to Regulus, a playable character whose specialty is taking out opposing demigods from a distance. Demigod, the multiplayer game that combines real-time strategy tactics with role-playing elements is available for purchase in stores and via Impulse.

Download HD Demigod 'Regulus' Trailer (79 MB)
Check out all Demigod downloads

Stardock has been working like mad to improve the multiplayer networking for their recent RTS game Demigod. In his latest dev update, Stardock CEO Brad Wardell states that their plans to set up proxy servers to help with issues on a worldwide basis seem to have worked. He states, " . . .the proxy server system is working far better than anticipated."

However he added that more improvements are coming via a true 1.01 Demigod patch that developer Gas Powered Games are currently working on. Wardell states, "I don't have a set day for that but I am hoping this next week. We already have the release candidate for it." He also mentions the recently released 50 percent Demigod coupons that were sent to current players to give to others. Wardell states he wanted to reward those folks who have continued to play the game, saying "Those people could have asked for a refund but they didn't. They stuck it out. "

Several days ago Stardock announced that they would be giving out coupons to all of the folks who have purchased the recent multiplayer RTS game Demigod as a way to make up for the game's multiplayer networking issues. Today emails are being sent out to all those players giving them a way to download a copy of the game via Impulse for 50 percent off its normal $39.99 price. This is obviously a way for those players to give the coupon to folks who have yet to buy Demigod due to those networking issues.

The coupon is only valid until early next week. However Stardock also plans to send out another round of coupons next week to those players that can be used to download any one game from their Impulse service for 20 percent off.