BattleForge
| BattleForge | |||
|---|---|---|---|
 | |||
| Studio | EA Phenomic | ||
| Publisher | Electronic Arts | ||
| Erstveröffent- lichung |
 March 26, 2009 March 23, 2009 |
||
| platform | Windows | ||
| genre | Real-time strategy , digital trading card game | ||
| Subject | Fantasy | ||
| Game mode | Single player , multiplayer | ||
| system advantages preconditions |
|
||
| medium | DVD-ROM , download | ||
| language | German | ||
| Current version | 1.2 | ||
| Age rating |
|
||
BattleForge is a real-time strategy game developed by EA Phenomic . First published as a full-price title on March 26, 2009, the business model was switched to free-to-play on May 26, 2009 and the program was made available as a free download. The free version contains fewer trading cards so that money is made by selling additional cards. Since an update in September 2009, BattleForge was the first game to use the DirectX 11 graphics interface . In September 2013, operator Electronic Arts announced the end of gaming operations on October 31, 2013.
Gameplay
BattleForge is an "online strategy game". That said, the game is largely designed to be played in multiplayer mode . But it is also possible to play solo . An internet connection is still essential.
The gameplay of BattleForge is extremely unusual. The player does not build a base in which he recruits troops , as is usual in real-time strategy games . The game is more of a mixture of trading card and real-time strategy game.
The player can assemble a deck from the cards he has, which can contain a maximum of 20 cards. Each of the cards represents either a unit, a spell, or a building. If the player has collected enough resources, he can play the respective card, and it then appears directly on the battlefield as the unit, the building, or the spell shown on the card. The developers want to make the game more dynamic, as the units can be summoned right where they are needed and not have to go a long way from the base to the place of action.
Factions
There are four elements in BattleForge: Fire, Frost, Nature, and Shadow. Each of them plays differently. The fire cards consist mostly of cards that deal a lot of damage and are therefore intended for an aggressive attack strategy. The Frost faction, on the other hand, relies on a defensive style of play, as it also offers many defense towers. Nature cards primarily represent healing cards, i.e. spells, buildings and also units that can restore the life points of allied units. The shadow faction is intended for players who take risks, for example there are shadow cards that permanently lose life points. However, it is possible for the player to use cards from different factions in a deck.
Mixing decks
There are the mixed fractions:
- Edition 2 stone clan (nature / frost) bandits (shadow / fire)
- Edition 3 Twilight (Nature / Fire) Lost Souls (Shadow / Frost)
- Edition 4 PREVIEW Decks contained a (shadow / nature) card [Amii Phantom] which suggests that the Amii * mixed faction will be available when the Amii Edition is released, but no (fire / frost) cards have yet been released.
- Amii Edition was released on 04/26/2012.
resources
Similar to classic real-time strategy games, the player needs resources to be able to play his cards. So he needs a different amount of energy for each card, which is specified on the card as a requirement. Energy is also used to use special abilities of units or to build walls on the map in predetermined places. This energy is obtained in so-called energy wells, which the player can set up on predetermined locations on the battlefield. The player starts with two to three generators. Building more generators costs the player 100 energy. Once a generator is ingested, it produces energy for the owner.
The BattleForge energy system is particularly innovative because the energy that is consumed is not completely lost. 90% of the energy used flows back into the so-called empty energy supply. The supply then slowly flows back into the usable energy pool. The more empty energy that has been collected, the faster the return flow. It should be noted that 90% of the energy only flows into the supply at the moment when the effect of a card is used up, i.e. when a called unit dies, a built building is destroyed or a magic card is used. The costs of destroyed energy generators and spheres do not flow back into the empty energy supply. An exception is if a monument is under construction and is demolished by the player himself, in this case the player gets 90% of the energy back.
However, cards not only require energy to be summoned, but also have so-called spheres as a prerequisite, which must be in possession. Unlike energy, spheres are not consumed when a card is played with their help. Each of the peoples needs a different sphere. The player starts with a sphere that automatically adopts the color of the card played first. To play better cards, the player must erect monuments and choose one of the four colors (red, blue, green or purple) that the sphere should have. The building of monuments is only possible in the designated places on the map. Each additional sphere also costs more energy. Stronger cards require more than one sphere. There are some cards that require the same color of the sphere several times as a prerequisite and others that only have one sphere color given. With these, for example, only one sphere has to be blue, the others can be any color. This enables the player to assemble his deck from cards from different factions. The maximum number of spheres required is four. Accordingly, cards that require four spheres are usually the strongest cards in play.
Card upgrades
The cards that the player owns can be improved with so-called card upgrades. The upgrades can either improve damage, health or special effects. In addition, some upgrades reduce the energy costs that are required to play a card. There are three levels of upgrade that the player can receive as a reward after successfully completing a mission. However, there is also the option of “buying” the upgrades with so-called combat tokens that you receive after winning PvP games or randomly created PvE games. Since an update, these stones can also be auctioned in the marketplace for 10 Battleforge points.
PvE
In the Player versus Environment mode, the player can play campaigns and missions against the computer opponent. The background story is pushed forward. There are missions that have to be played solo, but also multiplayer missions with up to 12 players. The missions are divided into three levels of difficulty (standard, advanced and professional), with many missions available in all levels of difficulty. If you successfully complete a mission you can receive card upgrades. You also get gold and experience points .
There is also the option of playing randomly generated PvE cards. These can be played in ten levels of difficulty. As a reward you receive gold, experience points and combat tokens.
Gold is needed to pay for card upgrades, to place items in the auction house and to send letters to other players. Experience points are needed to rise in rank . The maximum achievable PvE rank is 15. In contrast to PvP mode, you cannot lose experience points through lost missions.
PvP
Player versus player games can be played in two different modes: "Collecting Deck" and "Tome". There is also the option of playing alone against one player (1 vs. 1) or playing in pairs against two opponents (2 vs. 2). After each game against one or more other players, you receive a certain amount of gold and combat tokens.
Collecting deck describes the game with a player's deck, which he can freely assemble from all his possessed cards. These cards then have the corresponding upgrade level that the player has already reached.
Tome describes a slightly different style of play. A Tome deck must be purchased for BattleForge points and consists of several booster packs. A tome deck can only be put together from these cards received, with the cards containing upgrade level 2 since the last patch and being loaded up to level 2. This mode is particularly challenging for the players, as you have to try to put together a PvP deck that is as balanced as possible with the limited pool of cards. Accordingly, more combat tokens can be won in Tome games.
PvP ranking
The aim of the game in PvP mode is to lead the ranking of all players. There are separate rankings for 1 vs. 1 and 2 vs. 2 . In addition, a distinction is made between collecting deck and tome mode. The ranking is based on the Elo system . So if you win against a player with the same Elo rating, you get 500 Elo, whereby the opponent loses 500. If the opponent has a higher rating, you get more or lose less accordingly. The PvP rank is therefore dependent on the Elo number and you can also go down in rank. The maximum achievable PvP rank is 30 which corresponds to an Elo of ~ 150,000.
Card editions
When the game was released, the card edition "Twilight" was introduced. This edition contains 200 cards belonging to four factions (Fire, Frost, Shadow and Nature). Further editions will be published in the future. The Renegade and Lost Souls editions have already been released. The special thing about these factions is that they have several different colored spheres as a prerequisite. So the bandits need fire and shadow spheres and the stone clan frost and natural spheres.
However, completely new so-called legend cards have also been introduced. These make known creatures from the background story playable. The special thing here is that they can only be called up once on the playing field at a time and it doesn't matter which colors make up the required number of spheres. These cards are characterized above all by their special abilities.
Acquisition of new cards
Retail version
In the retail version of the game available in stores, the player receives 64 cards (16 of each color) at the start of the game. If the player is dissatisfied with his cards, he can buy booster packs with “BattleForge points”. These each contain eight cards that the player can immediately add to his deck. But there is also the possibility to swap cards with other players. There is also an auction house where players can set up card auctions. BattleForge points must be purchased in the store or online after using up the 3000 included in the retail version for 19.99 euros . However, this option is not mandatory, everyone can decide for themselves whether they want to invest additional money or not.
Play4Free
BattleForge has been Play4Free since May 26th, 2009, so new players get the opportunity to use all functions of the game for free.
However, the Play4Free version contains significantly less than the retail version:
- No BattleForge Points are included.
- There are only 2 decks of 16 cards included.
- Functions such as the auction house and direct exchange are only activated when you reach PvE rank 4 and after you have played for 40 minutes or PvP rank 10.
reception
Results of some game testers
- gamezone.de: 8.7 / 10
- 4Players .de: 77%
- Gameswelt .de: 87%
- eurogamer.net: 6/10
- Metacritic : 75%
As can be seen from the overview, BattleForge is rated mixed. The novelty of the game principle with trading cards and their implementation in a computer game is consistently praised. The exchange functions and the auction house are particularly well received. Furthermore, the implementation of the multiplayer mode is rated extremely positively. However, the lack of an integrated voice chat is often criticized as a weakness , which is generally considered to be out of date. In addition, the risk of financial dependency due to the purchase of booster packs is often classified as negative.
Fan revival
A team has been working on the Skylords Reborn project since 2015 , in which the original client game files are used and only the login and the server-side software are reprogrammed. The server should be free-to-play like the original , but without microtransactions. The operation of the server is to be financed through donations.
The Skylords Reborn project has been in the open stress test phase since 2018 and can be played for free.
Monthly updates and new community cards provide variety.
Web links
Individual evidence
- ↑ Article on changing the payment model on golem.de
- ↑ http://www.golem.de/news/battleforge-tod-auf-raten-1309-101364.html
- ↑ http://www.battleforge.com/de/news/news-archive/c4257ec915c9bfbd442be010bf269dfd ( page no longer available , search in web archives ) Info: The link was automatically marked as defective. Please check the link according to the instructions and then remove this notice.
- ↑ BF-PvP Guide - List of PvP ranks see page 37 (registration required ) (accessed on April 15, 2011)
- ↑ Press release on the publication of the Renegade Edition ( Memento of the original from September 24th, 2009 in the Internet Archive ) Info: The archive link has been inserted automatically and has not yet been checked. Please check the original and archive link according to the instructions and then remove this notice.
- ↑ Information page about the Renegade Edition on the official page for the game ( Memento of the original from July 12, 2010 in the Internet Archive ) Info: The archive link was inserted automatically and has not yet been checked. Please check the original and archive link according to the instructions and then remove this notice.
- ↑ Test of the game on gamezone.de (accessed on July 28, 2009)
- ↑ Test of the game on 4players.de (accessed on July 28, 2009)
- ↑ Test of the game on Gameswelt.de (accessed on July 28, 2009)
- ↑ Test of the game on eurogamer.net (accessed on July 28, 2009)
- ↑ Review of the game on Metacritic.com (accessed July 28, 2009)
- ↑ BattleForge Reborn - Community wants to revive the game . GameStar . Retrieved June 26, 2016.
