Victoria - Revolutions announced!!

[Nikolai]

Look at this announcement from Paradox's forum!

Revolution on Gamersgate.com
Paradox and Gamersgate.com announce Victoria – Revolutions!

New York, USA (June 7, 2006) - Paradox Interactive announced today that they are working on an expansion to their history simulation, “Victoria – An Empire Under the Sun”. The expansion will be available exclusively through the online retailer Gamersgate.com. “Victoria – Revolutions” is scheduled for a release in August 2006, at $9.99/€9.99.

Upon its release, “Victoria – An Empire Under the Sun” was hailed by some critics as the ultimate World Domination and Empire-Building simulation. The new expansion will be in a similar vein while offering several new and exciting features. Among other things, players will be able to link this game to other Paradox games, thus extending the gameplay for both!

“This is the first time we release one of our titles exclusively on Gamersgate.com,” said Susana Meza, Marketing and PR Director of Paradox Interactive. “This expansion has been on many of our fans’ wish lists for a long time, and by releasing it solely via download, we can ensure it reaches them as soon as the production team has finished the code.”

Check out SCREENS

New features of “Victoria – Revolutions” include:

* 15 extra years of game play. Lead your nation through the challenging interwar period!
* An expanded tech tree to cover the interwar period, including aircrafts and carriers.
* A DOOMSDAY converter which allows players to continue their game in “Hearts of Iron 2: Doomsday”.
* A revamped election and politics system, adding a new level of realism to the game.
* An overhauled military system, which will be linked with the player’s policy decisions.
* A new economic system that brings more realism through various economic models.

I'll have to think on whether or not I'll buy it though, it's so many good games coming soon and Vickie, while being a good game, is not Paradox's best. But it's good, so who knows, I might very well buy it. But check it out, it seems like much good is coming. Look closer on the pics for example.

[Kassiopeia]

W0000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000 00000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000 00000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000 00000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000 00000T!

[Nikolai]

One thing that is *really* bugging me here though, is: why can't I get a freaking CD and box in my hands, I don't want to download the game! I want to have something "real", here, in my home, together with my other games for crying out loud!

[Kassiopeia]

I'm going to cave and download it even though I'd prefer a hard copy myself.

In fact, this was probably going to be a patch, but they figured they could get some return on investment by selling it like this.

[Nikolai]

One freaking huge patch if so.

[Verrucosus]

Why is this called "Revolutions"? I may have missed a few history lessons, but was there a revolution in the 1920s?

This looks intriguing and it would be irresistible (even for a higher price) if it came in a box with a manual of the kind that the more recent Paradox games have enjoyed and that could help Victoria to become a lot more accessible.

I'm not too excited about the extended timeline, but the last three "features" (while rather unspecific) indicate major gameplay changes. If they get enough praise on the forums I may overcome my reservations about the distribution method. ("You get the game as soon as the production team has finished the code" does not exactly sound like an advertisement to my ears, but then, I'm probably not part of the target group.)

[Nikolai]

There were a few revolutions in those days yes, the most important in this time frame of course being the Russian Civil War from 1917. But in the 1220s the rise of Facism came, resulting in Mussolini's Facist Italy and in 1933 Hitler's rule. During the same timeframe Turkey rose from the ashes of the Ottoman Empire.

[Verrucosus]

I see your point. The fascists in Italy and Germany at least tried to maintain a cloak of legality, so their takeover wasn't a revolution in the same sense as that in Russia, but the effect on the system of government was as dramatic. From the game's point of view that's what counts. On second thought, maybe "Revolutions" doesn't even refer to events in the 1920s and 30s, but to the "revamped" political system.

[lord of the mark]

1. nice to see theyre still supporting this game, even to releasing a big xpack - private industry generated factories, FINALLY.

2. They seem to have cottoned to the idea of linking up the different games, and covering gaps. We've Vickie-R covering the time up to HOI, and now HOI2-Doomsday taking us several years beyond WW2. Wonder if Paradox is thinking about the gap between EU3 (ends 1789, I think) and Victoria in 1836. Can anyone say Age of Revolutions game?

3. The DLing thing came up on Paradox forums. The notion is theyre looking at a niche audience, and trying to avoid the fixed costs associated with manu and distribution. I wouldnt be surprised though if someday we get a strategy pack that includes a vickie-R disk along with several others.

[Kassiopeia]

Yeah, you could certainly get a game (or at least an expansion pack) out of 1789-1836 too.

[General Ludd]

Does anyone actually have the patience to play from 1066 to 1956? It'd certainly be an epic game...

[Kassiopeia]

The only problem that I can think of, personally, would be that it'd get really boring around the 1600s or so when the entire world will be my colour.

[General Ludd]

Not neccisarily.

1) You can play with an emphasis on roleplying and not try to conquer the world.

2) I imagine with the transfers between games, and even just holding a large empire for a long period of time, revolts would become likely

3)You could switch around and play a number of different countries over the period of time, to keep it fresh while maintaining an epic timeline.

[Kassiopeia]

Hm, true, I do 3) sometimes in HOI when I've all but crushed the SU or France as Germany or something like that. You could also release vassals and suchlike.

[Dinner]

I'll be buying this.