Relicnews: the definitive source for all things Relic

Tech Tastic reviews IC and scores it a 3.5 out of 5.

The graphics in Impossible Creatures are very good. The rendering engine is called SPOOGE. It supports things like pixel and vertex shaders, Bezier curves, frustum culling, etc. The latest and most powerful hardware isn’t required to get good graphics performance. Which is always a plus to some of us who can’t afford a 400$ video card.

Check it out here.

For the few folks having network issues with IC, now might be your lucky day!

Microsoft has released DirectX 9.0a. Check out this tidbit:

Microsoft DirectX is a group of technologies designed to make Windows-based computers an ideal platform for running and displaying applications rich in multimedia elements such as full-color graphics, video, 3D animation, and rich audio. DirectX 9.0a includes security and performance updates to graphics and networking components. This release also resolves a connectivity issue using some network routers.

GG Microsoft. Check out the info at the DirectX pages.

Thanks to Mac_Bug for the heads up.

Looks like Relic is readying the next batch of modding tools for the IC Engine. There is a poll on the forum looking for modder feedback. Please pop in and supply a vote!

Elorran reports that there is a small article in the April PC Format magazine. PC Format is a magazine in the UK. Elorran indicates he will post an update in his thread if there is anything new.

Remmington also reports that there is a 6 page preview showing up in the next PC Gamer (UK Version).

Avault was able to grab a couple of Relic guys (Dan Irish, executive producer of HW2, and Josh Mosqueira, lead designer of HW2) and grill them for a few. Here is a taste to get the fan base all hot and bothered.

One thing players can never get enough of is using and fighting gigantic Capital Ships. What sort of variety in ship size can we expect to see? This is a very common question, and we’ve taken to heart all of the requests we’ve fielded over the years on this issue. We’ve had the Hiigaran shipyards hard at work preparing some of the largest ships ever seen, such as Battlecruisers, Shipyards and the new Mothership. You’ll also find that the galaxy is dotted with huge megaliths, remnants of an ancient civilization long since passed, that fill the voids of space and are much larger than any mere ship. Homeworld2’s vessels range in size from 48 meters to eight km in length, so there’s quite a variation and several examples of vastness of scale.

Read the rest here. Thanks to Pimpster for the heads up on the forums.

As you may know the Guidestone seems to have drifted off into space and doesn’t appear to be coming back.

As a result we have a void in clan communication and information. I hope to fill that void with some of the Guidestone staff coming to RelicNews, and the creation of a central Clan Forum, where all the clans can meet and discuss Multiplayer issues, like the up coming Ladder and future Tournaments, as well as general online play.

Relic News is offering Forum hosting for clans aswell, and SLS have already taken up the offer. Please take the time to read this thread on the new Clan Forums as it details the proposition, and how we can prepare our online clan Community, for the Homeworld 2 launch.

Games Xtreme has put up its IC review with a final score of 80%:

The base creatures are all real-world animals, which we all should know about. They come in various sizes and have varying abilities including flying, swimming and digging. The animals come in various sizes, which will ultimately decide on the size of your creature. Animals range from the huge Sperm Whale to the tiny Ant.

Found at da Shack

Canadian Gamer’s done an IC Review and scored it an 84%.

In conclusion, Relic’s Impossible Creatures is not nearly as ground breaking as their previous release, but it is a solid RTS game. The design of your own units is a challenge in itself and can lead to surprising and humorous results. The top-notch production values and gameplay make Impossible Creatures worth every cent of your gaming dollar; just don’t go in expecting a revolutionary game.

Check it out here.

I can’t wait for the new content now… hehe

With all the virtuosity of a veteran concert pianist, and the brazen effrontery of a lady of negotiable affection soliciting outside Buckingham Palace, an aquatic saviour has arrived in town to deliver you, gentle reader, from the tyranny of boredom and the triumph of mediocrity.

The inaugural dish of this banquet of delights is my wonderful self; sautéed, boiled, or battered and served with greasy chips and a large dash of vinegar! Nay, my readers, I but jest – and yet, I have some small hopes for your entertainment over the coming weeks and months. My renowned wit and charm have soothed the savage breasts of forumgoers for many a long year, and now I bring those self-same skills into battle for this premier news site of our beloved community.

Indeed, for your delectation I now provide a veritable feast of words: a tournament of language, a joust between the bravest knights of prose ever to honour our fair realm. A Short Story Competition. The first deadline falls on the Tenth of April, some two weeks hence – a Thursday, if my system clock serves me correctly. We expect your participation, or at least the honour of your presence!

Remember, dear reader, you heard it here first – off the record, on the Q.T. and very Hush-Hush.

Strat Informer’s Reviewed IC and scored it an 8.2 out of 10.

Gameplay is smooth & neat. You get an initial cutscene & your flying lab sets down on the target island. You are then set your objectives for the scenario & its time to decide the best way to achieve them. Getting the ‘economy’ up & running is a must - no resources = no creatures = wipeout quickly. Initially, Lucy will be building & mining while Rex is off getting DNA samples from the creatures roaming the islands. As soon as the resources are available, you need to research differing stages of Sigma technology to develop better creatures, as well as other research & building improvements needed to keep one step ahead of your rival. The learning curve is set just right and it doesn’t take too long to be running things like a complete pro.

Check it out here.